


The Two Sides of Nico Di Angelo

by yournamefails



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst and Tragedy, Drama, F/F, F/M, Flashbacks, Gen, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Multi, Other, Psychological Drama, Psychological Torture, Psychological Trauma, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-23
Updated: 2015-03-01
Packaged: 2018-03-14 17:55:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 58,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3420140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yournamefails/pseuds/yournamefails
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nico is forced to admit his crush to Jason by Cupid, but it turns out that he had more than just one crush before. Nico was full of bad memories, but also good ones. Many of which, involved Thalia...<br/>When the Big Three Gods get involved, chaos breaks out. Their paranoia gets the best of the gods, leading them to stop at nothing to separate the two.<br/>Left with no where to go, Thalia and Nico are pushed to their breaking points, in a war between their hateful godly parents. (Thalico fic) {some LGBT in it}</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Big Two?

**Author's Note:**

> For Thalico community. Make sure you read along with your books if you have the whole collection of the percy jackson series. Some main books you'll need to have read to understand: The House of Hades, The Blood of Olympus, The Sword of Hades.

**Jason**

Chapter XXXVI pg 284

The words of Favonious echoed in his ears...

_You make it sound so simple. Alas, love is never simple._

CUPID

The name echoed through the ruins a second time. "That would be my cue." Favonious stood." Think long and hard about how you proceed Nico Di Angelo. You cannot lie to Cupid. If you let your anger rule you...Well, your fate will be even sadder then mine."

Jason felt like his brain was turning back into wind. He didn't understand what Favonious was talking about or why Nico seemed so shaken, but he had no time to think about it. The wind god disappeared in a swirl of red and gold. The summer air suddenly felt oppressive. The ground shook. Nico and Jason drew their swords.

_So!_

The voice rushed past their ears like a bullet. When he turned, no one was there.

_You come to claim the scepter._

Nico stood at his back, and for once Jason was glad to have the guy's company.

"Cupid," Jason called, "where are you?"

The voice laughed. It definently didn't sound like a cute baby angel's. It sounded deep and rich, but also threatening like a tremor before a major earthquake.

_Where you least expect me,_ Cupid answered. _As Love always is._ Something slammed into Jason and hurled him across the street. He toppled down a set of steps and sprawled on the floor of an excavated Roman basement.

_I would think you'd know better, Jason Grace._ Cupid's voice whirled around him. _You've found true love after all. Or do you still doubt yourself?_

Nico scrambled down the steps. "You okay?"

Jason accepted his hand and got to his feet. "Yeah. just sucker punched."

_Oh, did you expect me to play fair? I am the god of love. I am never fair._

This time, Jason's senses were on high alert. He felt the air ripple just as an arrow materialized, racing towards Nico's chest.

Jason intercepted it with his sword and deflected it side-ways. The arrow exploded against the nearest wall, peppering them with limestone shrapnel.

They ran up the steps. Jason pulled Nico to one side asanother gust of wind toppled a column that would have crushed him flat. "Is this guy Love or Death?" Jason growled. _Ask your friends,_ Cupid said. _Frank Hazel, and Percy met my counterpart, Thanatos. We are not so different. Except death is sometimes kinder._

"We just want the scepter!" Nico shouted. "We're trying to stop Gaea. Are you on the gods' side or not?" A second arrow hit the ground between Nico's feet and glowed white-hot. Nico stumbled back as the arrow burts into a geyser of flame.

_Love is on every side, and no one's side. It simply doesn't choose a side. Do YOU choose a side Nico di Angelo?_ Cupid insisted. "Nico what in Hades is he talking about?" Jason yelled with his eyes full of worry. "What does he mean?!"

Movement behind him: Jason spun, slicing his sword through the air. His blade bit into something solid. He heard a grunt and he swung again, but the invisible god was gone. On the paving stones, a trail of golden ichor shimmered-the blood of the gods.

_Very good, Jason. At least you can sense my presence. Even a glancing hit at true love is more than most heroes manage._ Cupid said.

"So now I get the scepter?" Jason asked. Cupid laughed. _Unfortunately, you could not wield it. Only a child of the underworld can summon the dead legions. And only an officer of Rome can lead them._

"But..." Jason wavered. He _was_ an officer. He was praetor. Then he remembered all his second thoughts about where he belonged. In New Rome, he'd offered to give up his position to Percy Jackson. Did that make him unworthy to lead a legion of Roman ghosts?

He decided to face that problem when the time came.

"Just leave that to us, Nico can summon-"

The third arrow zipped by Jason's shoulder. He couldn't stop it in time. Nico gasped as it sunk into his sword arm.

"Nico!"

The son of Hades stumbled. The arrow dissolved, leaving no blood and no visible wound, but Nico's face was tight with rage and pain. "Enough games!" Nico shouted. " Show yourself!"

_It is a costly thing, looking on the true face of Love._ Another column toppled. jason scrambled out of its way. _My wife Psyche learned that lesson. She was brought here eons ago, when this was the site of my palace. We met only in the dark. She was warned never to look upon me, and yet she could not stand the mystery. She feared I was a monster. One night, she lit a candle and beheld my face as i slept._

"Were you THAT ugly?" Jason thought he had zeroed in on Cupid's voice-at the edge of the amphitheater about twenty yards away-but he wanted to make sure.

The god laughed. _I was too handsome, I'm afraid. Amortal cannot gaze upon the true appearance of a god without suffering consequences. My mother, Aphrodite, cursed Psyche for her distrust. My poor lover was tormented, forced into exiled, given horrible tasks to prove her worth. She was even sent to the Underworld on a quest to show her dedication. She earned her way back to my side, but she suffered greatly._

Jason thrust his sword in the sky and thunder shook the valley. Lightning blasted a crater where the voice had been speaking. Silence...Jason thought, _dang it actually worked._ That was then when an invisible force knocked him to the ground. His sword skittered across the road.

_A good try,_ Cupid said, his voice already distant. _But Love cannot be pinned down so easily._

Next to him, a wall collapsed. Jason barely managed to roll aside. "Stop it!" Nico yelled. "It's me you want. Leave him alone!"

Jason's ears rang. He was dizzy from getting smacked around. His mouth tasted like limestone dust. He didn't understand why Nico would think himself the target, or what cupid meant by _side._ Cupid agreed however.

_Poor Nico di Angelo._ The god's voice was filled with disappointment. _Do you know what you want, much less what I want? My beloved Psyche risked everything in the name of Love. It was the only way to atone for her lack of faith. And you, what have you risked in my name?_

"I've been to Tartarus and back," Nico snarled. "You don't scare me."

_Oh but I scare you VERY much. Face me. Be honest._

Jason pulled himself up. All around Nico, the ground shifted. The grass witherd, and the stones cracked as if something was moving the earth beneath, trying to push its way through.

"Give us diocletian's scepter," Nico said. "We don't have time for games."

_Games?_ Cupid struck Nico slamming him into a granite pedestal. _Love is no game! It is not flowery softness! It is hard work-a quest that never ends. It demands everything from you-especially the truth. The truth that you go more than just one path of love. The truth that there is two sides to you. Only then does it yield rewards._

Jason retrieved his sword. If this invisible guy was Love, then Jason was beginning to think love was overrated. He liked Piper's version better- considerate, kind, and beautiful. Aphrodite he could understand. Cupid seemed more like a thug, an enforcer.

"Nico," he called, "What does he mean by there's two sides to you?" _Tell him Nico Di Angelo. Tell him that you are a coward, afraid of yourself and your feelings. Tell him the real reason you ran from Camp Half-Blood, and why you are always alone.\_

Nico let loose a guttural scream. The ground at his feet split open and skeletons crawled forth-dead Romans with missing hands and caved-in skulls, cracked ribs and jaws unhinged. Some were dressed in the remnants of togas. others had glinting pieces of armor hanging off their chests. _Will you hide among the dead, as you always do?_ Cupid taunted.

Waves of darkness rolled off the son of Hades. When they hit Jason he almost lost consciousness- overwhelmed by hatred and fear and shame...

He saw Nico with his sister on a snowy cliff in Maine, with Percy Jackson and Thalia Grace protecting them. Their weapons gleamed in the dark. He observed both of their eyes. Sea-green and Electric-blue. Their eyes were beautiful. He couldn't understand his feelings of attraction to not one, but both. It made him disgusted how he could fall for any person. Any gender. The scene shifted to when Percy told Nico of his sister's death. He was truly hurt. Not only because Percy broke his promise, but also because joining the Hunters killed her. Joining the Hunters was the whole reason why she died, and yet, Thalia had the nerve to become lieutenant and recruit more, as if his sister was replacable. Yet when the skeleton warriors attacked, he couldnt let them harm Percy. He had called upon the earth to swallow them up. He then ran away, terrified and disgusted by himself. Jason saw the Battle of Manhattan when Thalia was pinned under a statue. Nico had clashed with Kronos' army and immediately came to her aid. He glared at her. But he couldn't be angry at her beautiful electric-blue eyes. He then left his father to fend off the Hordes of monsters on his own. He had called for anyone nearby he knew that could help her. Jason saw a few more scenes of times that Nico had stubbornly saved Thalia or Percy. They left him stunned and ALMOST disgusted himself.

Meanwhile, Nico's Roman skeletons surged forward and grappled with something invisible. The god struggled, flinging the dead aside, breaking off ribs and skulls, but the skeletons kept coming, pinning the god's arms.

_Interesting!_ Cupid exclaimed. _Do you have the strength after all?_ "I left Camp Half-Blood because of love," Nico said. "The hunters... they-"

_Still hiding._ Cupid said, smashing another skeleton to pieces. _You do not have the strength._

" Nico it's okay, I...I get it..." Jason managed to say. Nico glanced over, pain and misery washing across his face. "No, you don't," he said " There's no way you can understand."

_And so you run away again,_ Cupid chided. _From your friends. From yourself._

"I don't have friends!" Nico yelled. " I left Camp Half-Blood because I don't belong! I'll never belong!" The skeletons had Cupid pinned now, but the invisible god laughed so cruelly that Jason wanted to summon another bolt of lightning. Unfortunately, he doubted he had the strength.

"Leave him alone, Cupid," Jason croaked. " This isn't..." His voice failed. He wanted to say it wasn't Cupid's business, but this was EXACTLY Cupid's business. Something Favonious said kept buzzing in his ears: are you shocked?

The story of Psyche finally made sense to him-why a mortal girl would be so afraid. Why she would risk breaking the rules to look the god of love in the face, because she feared he might be a monster.

Psyche had been right. Cupid _was_ a monster. Love was the most savage monster of all.

"I-Iwasn't in love with any...one..." Nico's voice was like broken glass. "You weren't just in love with any ONE... That's why you don't want to be around humans. Especially why you didn't want to be around...my sister." Jason said.

"I hated myself. I hated everything. I hated how I found beauty in people...in...both sides..." Nico's voice faultered. " I had a crush on Thalia..." Nico said desperately, as if that would make Cupid lay off of him. " That's the truth-" Nico was interrupted.

_Oh really! But it is not the full truth! One side doesn't make a whole. Will you let the other truth out... the other SIDE...? The other crush? YOUR other crush?_

"Shut UP!" Nico exploded. "I had a crush on Percy too." Nico spat. "THAT's the FULL truth. That's the big secret. That's my other SIDE..." Nico glared at Cupid. "Happy now?"

"Oh, I wouldn't say love always makes you happy." Cupid's voice was smaller and much more human. "Love cannot always make you happy. Sometimes it makes you incredibly sad. It cannot stay to one emotion, just like how you cannot stick to just one _side._ But at least now, you have _faced_ it. That's the only way to conquer me."

Cupid dissolved into the wind. On the ground where he stood lay an ivory staff three feet long, topped with a dark globe of polished marble about the size of a baseball, nestled on the backs of three gold Roman eagles. The scepter of Diocletian.

Nico knelt and picked it up. He regarded Jason, as if waiting for an attack. " If the others find out. If your dad found out, if _his_ dad found out, if Artemis found out...and the others..." "If the others found out," Jason said. " then you'd have that many more people to back you up, and unleash fury on anybody who gives you trouble. And also we don't have to tell Zeus, or Poseidon,...or the Hunters...I understand why you wouldn't trust them."

"But it's your call on whether to share or not. I can talk to Thalia for you. And about Percy-" Jason was interrupted. " I don't feel that way anymore," Nico muttered. " I mean...I gave up on Percy. I was young and impressionable. Thalia joined the Hunters of Artemis...so I can't...I can't have her...she...she's gone..." His voice cracked, and Jason could tell the guy was about to get teary-eyed. _What about Thalia?_ Jason thought. Nico didn't exactly say if he gave up _her_ at least.

Whether he gave up on either, Jason couldn't imagine what it was like to keep a secret that was unthinkable in the 1940s. Jason knew all to well that no one during that time would believe him. He would be seen as selfish and greedy. They would tell him that he wasn't born how he was, and that it was only a momentary thing...a phase. That must've made him feel completely alone-even more isolated than most demigods.

Knowing this, It probably left him afraid of people. Afraid of getting attatched because of his fear of developing feelings which disgusted and shamed himself. The risks of liking either didn't help. Artemis certainly wouldn't approve and knowing Thalia, she wouldn't take it too well. Then there was Poseidon and Zeus. Gods knows what they would do if either found out that Nico had a crush on their children.

"Nico," he said gently, "I've seen alot of brave things. But what you just did? That was maybe the bravest."

Nico looked up ashamed. "We should get back to the ship."

"Yeah, I can fly us-"

"No," Nico announced. "This time we're shadow-traveling. I've had enough of the winds for now."


	2. Thalia's dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place during the Blood of Olympus...  
> So read along with the book if you have it...

**Nico (pg. 130:The Blood of Olympus)**

Barrachina Courtyard

Nico had torn apart the courtyard in rage when he found out that the hunters had taken reyna. Well, it was ALOT more than just "torn apart".

Nico tried to make the most of his unconciousness. I'm the son of Hades. He thought. The darkness is my friend, the pain is nothing, the darkness is my birthright. He roamed by his usual fragments of painful memories. He saw the day he met Percy Jackson. He protected him and Bianca from a monster. He had forgotten what it looked like through Percy's sea-green eyes in which were becoming all he remembered of that moment. Percy was his favorite game, mythomagic, brought to life, he really knew that he liked him, but any chance Nico had with him was futile. Percy loved annabeth now.

What made Thalia Grace any different? She was a hunter...she was gone. Just like Bianca...No... He didn't want to go THAT far into his memories. It would only burden him with wants and regrets.

Nico was curious of what was going on in Thalia's dreams. He knew it was practically an invasion of privacy, but he was selfish, fourteen, and he wanted to know so badly if she was safe. Or at least, alive. He wanted to see her face at least once. He never saw her since the Battle of Manhattan, but he had always thought of her and wondered why. He felt as if he was wasting his life if he didn't see her face at least once a day.

Sadly he wasn't even sure she knew he existed. He wasn't sure ANYONE knew he existed. Not Percy. Not Thalia. No one. The way he saw it, it went two ways in Camp Half-Blood; he was noticed and hated for being himself, or he wasn't noticed at all. His popularity after he saved manhattan from an army of Giants only lasted a week, and then everyone forgot about it. They'd only given him looks that said: "Oh yeah, That's right. You're still here?"

Nico delved deep into Thalia's memories. He was being a young and stupid, stubborn boy who didn't care about anything else. All he cared about was finding out what she thought of him and how SHE saw him. He ventured around the darkest and smallest memories; probably where he belonged in EVERYONE's mind. He found the memories she had during the first prophecy.

As he expected, she only saw him as the stupid geeky kid with the Mythomagic cards that she saved along with Percy. She vaquely noticed him, as she was focused on Annabeth's supposed-death. He really doubted that she had even a hint of liking some ten-year old at the time. It was hopeless, just like it was with Percy. The age gap was too strange.

Maybe, he still has a chance? He was fourteen now, and was supposed to be in high-school. It was a normal thing now in his teen years right? What was he thinking? It's hopeless, he'll never be with her, not while he has priorities...

His mission was one priority, the other...was getting overcoming his insecure sense of inferiority, his grudges, and finding a meaning to his life.

 


	3. Nico's dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You will not need anything for this chapter except for your copy of Blood of Olympus...so follow along.   
> Enjoy my Thalico people :)

**Nico (Chapter XXI: The Blood of Olympus)**

Nico had torn apart the courtyard in a fit of rage.

Nico woke up to the sound of a blender dying. He was still in Barrachina, as he remembered. The Athena Parthenos still lay there conviniently where it would shade their camp. Hedge's blender dropped. He screamed. _Waste of smoothie_ , Nico thought. Coach Hedge just stared at Nico with a look of shock. Nico's heart dropped. He immediately ran for Reyna's sleeping bag. He digged furiously hoping that the Praetor would be there. All he found was a note card:

WE OWE U ONE

ROMAN PRAETOR, SHE'LL BE BACK -XXXHUNTERS

Nico's rage exploded. The shadows all across the courtyard had been consumed by his black aura, forming a large wave of darkness around him. Nico had let loose a guttural scream, which echoed for miles across Barachina. The scream had attracted all types of monsters to his and Hedge's camp. The earth had started to rumble.

Dozens of skeletons of skeletons had clawed their way through the concrete, and into the living world. Hedge could do nothing to get to Nico/ The force of his black aura kept pushing him back no matter how much he tried. Nico didn't hear anything Hedge was yelling. It was all muffled by the rage inside of him. The empousai army was merely a weak little schist of 40. 'That's all you've got? How pathetic!' Nico thought.

The monsteres charged at Nico. He smiled maniacally. "Yes! Come to ME! Meet the underworld. Feel my pain, my loneliness, my wrath! Only then will you know what it is to truly be broken."

The earth kept trembling, collapsiong nearby buildings which launced debris onto the empousai. The skeleton warriors charged at the remaining army. The monsters clashed with bones flying left and right along with golden liquid. The blood of mythological monsters. The skeletons were clearly winning.

Up above, were harpies with multiple heads preparing to attack. WORTHLESS. he thought. He smiled and summoned wicked sharp obsidian from the earth to launch at them like missiles. Dozens of harpies vanished into mere specs of dust in the sky.

In Nico's head, all he could see was unrecognizable faces of Hunters of Artemis being consumed, left and right by earthly fissures. He didn't care who they were, he hated them with a passion. he wanted to see them all suffer. Their faces were being demolished and turned into faceless ghosts. He had ghostified them.

Nico was trapped in a hallucination. He continued to torcher the illusory hunters until a voice whispered in his head. "...promise me Nico..." Bianca... His eyes widened. He looked all around his pitch-black hallucination. There was no way Bianca was there, she had chosen to be reborn. All he saw was black. all he saw was darkness.

His tears started to run. He buried his face in his hands. He sobbed shakily into his hands. 'What have i become?' He thought. He was a monster, just like everything in life. He lost his humanity. He was nothing. He had broken his promise, and the hunters had taken yet another important person from his life. All he could hear was his sobbed echoes. He looked up and closed his eyes. "Reyna! Reyna!" He cried out. Reyna! Please..." His voiced cracked. 'It's all there fault! They always take away everyone!' Nico drew his stygian iron sword and walked to the illusory hunters. He annihalated them one by one; stabbing and slashing them across the chests. He was full of rage. It was only until he saw electric-blue eyes did he stop swinging his sword. She looked horrified, he eyes were motionless staring at the tip of his blade. " You're BIANCA's little brother...?" Thalia whispered softly with her glossy eyes. " No...no...NO!" Nico yelled. He grabbed his hair as his head began to ache violently.

'You promised you would protect her!Holding grudges is a fatal flaw in children of Hades. Promise me Nico!' The voices repeated. " Stop!" He cried.

Silence.

He gasped for air. Nico opened his eyes to a pair of sea-green eyes. It was Percy. His strongest crush. The one who opened his heart without even knowing. "You cannot lie to the god of love." Percy said. "You cannot just 'CHOOSE' a side." Said Thalia behind him. IT'S NOT A CHOICE. He thought.

Nothing but darkness.

"Promise me Nico." Bianca's voice said.


	4. Nico's dreams part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Books needed to understand: The Sword of Hades

**Nico: The Sword of Hades (flashback)**

Nico didn't expect that meeting his dead buddies would bring him to such strange places. If he'd just cancelled his hang out at the New Orlean's graveyard, he could've avoided seeing his dreaded family, _both_ of his crushes, and almost lose them in a quest. Still, the worst part was having the _two_ people he would never want to meet his family, meet them.

It was extremely frustrating that he had been _literally_ pulled away from his skeleton buddies, right when he had spent all his time and effort to shadow-travel towards New Orleans. Worst part is, he was in the middle of a Mythomagic game with his skeleton buddy.

A dark cloud creeped around Nico. He thought, _'Ah yes, the shadows, the darkness, my birthright.'_ He was glad it had surrounded him and his friends in a dark aura. He enjoyed the darkness, but this one seemed stranger than the others, it seemed rather persistent to shade him. He felt a sudden force pull him back and into the shadows.

He screamed as he fell through the shadows until he saw a light at the end of this shadow funnel.

**THUD**

Just like that, he was in front of the two people who make him feel the most awkward. "Ow!" he muttered. "Nico?" said a comforting male voice. He looked up to see a pair of sea-green eyes he recognized anywhere. He had black medium-length hair, school uniform, and a strange necklace with beads on it. ' _No'_ He thought upon seeing him. It was Percy Jackson. "Bianca's little brother?" said a deep womanly voice.

 _' REALLY?! NOW?!'_ He jerked his head to the right to see a pair of dazzling electric-blue eyes. The girl had a choppy black haircut, skin almost as pale as his, and a silver parka jacket with a black 'death to barbie' t-shirt and jeans under. Nico always admired her style, which he integrated into his own version.

Still, at that moment, he didn't want to be there. He was practically begging the shadows to take him anywhere, in his head. He had enough trouble talking to _one_ of his crushes, but _this,_ this was more social pressure than he could ever handle in one day.

Maybe he was just anxious, but he felt as if they somehow knew about _it,_ just by the way they looked at him. Right, he was probably just overthinking it. He began freaking out anyways. He felt himself about to blush. It was like being around exes, except it was more depressing, because he wasn't in a relationship with either of them, yet the awkward feeling remained.

As usual, when he freaked out, he would always assimlate anger into his words. Instead of blushing, he played it off as him scowling at Thalia for mentioning _Bianca_. 'Yeah, that's a nice save' he thought.

"Why did you bring me here?!" he grumbled. "One minute, I'm in a New Orleans' graveyard, the next minute..." He looked up stunned. "Is this _New York_?! What in Hades am I doing in New York?!"

"We didn't bring you here," Percy assured him. "We were..." Percy's eyes widened as if he realized something. "We were brought here together. All three of us." _'Of all possible people'_ Nico cursed in his head. "What are you talking about?" he demanded. "The children of the Big Three," Percy said, " Zeus, Poseidon, Hades."

'Gee, what a _huge coincidence_ that BOTH of his hopeless crushes had to be children of the big three.' Nico thought sarcastically. Thalia took a sharp breath. "The prophecy. You don't think Kronos..." she didn't finish the thought. We all knew about the big Prophecy. A war was coming between the Titans and Gods. And the next child of three major gods who turned sixteen would make a decision that saved or destroyed the worl. At the time, Nico thought it would've been one of them three, which made him feel empty.

The ground rumbled. Nico drew his black stygian iron sword out of his chain belt. Mrs. O'Leary, the giant black greyhound, barked in alarm, but it was too late. Thalia, Percy and Nico all fell into darkness.

Nico thought he was going to die for sure this time. He assumed he was going to be squashed into a demigod burger along with Thalia and Percy. The awkward part was, _he would be in the middle._ The thought made him blush.

Suddenly, they were in a garden, completely unscathed. Nico didn't realize why Percy had stopped screaming. He and Thalia remained screaming.

"Ahhhh-Oh..." he suddenly stopped. Nico blushed as he realized he was screaming _with_ Thalia. They were fine however, as they had landed safely onto a garden as said.

The scenery turned black, and skipped to when Thalia and Percy were to meet his step-mom, Persephone. _Yet another embarrassing moment for him._ Nico realized what this illusion was now. He was dreaming about his WORST and most embarrassing moments with Thalia or Percy. Why couldn't he control this though?

"Heads up." Thalia warned. Nico saw Thalia aiming her bow at the Goddess. He didn't complain or try to stop her. He almost _hated_ his step-mom.

"I am Persephone." Just hearing her voice irritated him. " Welcome demigods." Nico's temper was already raised. "You have the nerve to welcome me! Even after what you did last time!?"

Thalia and Percy shifted uneasily. He assumed that he'd impressed them with his courage to yell at a goddess. "Um, Nico..." Thalia said flustered.

"It's all right," Persephone said coldly. "We had a little family spat."

"Family spat?" Nico cried. "You turned me into a dandelion!"

Nico was yet again, embarrassed. It didn't help that she'd ignored him. " As I was saying..." ' _No. I don't want to remember that. Come on! Remember a GOOD time during that quest!_

The scene changed to the begining of their quest. Nico led the way, since his blade cleared a path through any crowd of undead. Thalia mostly grumbled that she should've known better than to go on a quest with a couple of boys. That really hurt Nico, as he never liked being a boy in the first place, and he had a huge crush on her.

"He's handy with zombie crowds," Thalia admitted. "Think I'll take him along next time I go to the mall." _'I-I impressed her! Score!'_ Nico thought. Though he maintained a straight face.

He faintly heard Percy whispering, "If you're looking for Bianca, she would be in Elysium. She died a hero's death." Nico died a little bit inside. He felt like jumping straight into Percy's strong arms and crying into his shoulder.

"I know that," Thalia snapped. She then caught herself." I'm sorry Percy, it's not that, I was just... Nevermind." He had forgotten about her mother who she ALSO lost. The thought of having something in common with her made him feel better. He was worried though, he wanted to say something to make her feel better _so bad_. He opened his mouth to say something when he was suddenly interrupted.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I wasn't thinking." Their eyes met and it only made Nico feel jealous, and pained. He was no good at this stuff. Thalia might as well, just pick Percy. _'Where are my GOOD memories?'_


	5. Nico's dreams part 3 (time to wake up...)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Books needed: The Sword of Hades

**Nico: The Sword of Hades (flashback)**

The scene had flashed into darkness, and turned to the memory of when Percy, Thalia, and he had their first fight in the quest. They were going against a dozen of daimones from what he remembered. Despite being in the heat of battle, he was still able to observe Thalia Grace.

She had _gracefully_ flipped one on its back, and stabbed another behind her without even looking. Although, Nico had destroyed the majority of them with his black aura, he would never be as cool as her. She was much, _much,_ more nimble than he.

Nico witnessed a sight that made his heart drop. Percy yelped in pain. One of _them_ had wounded him badly. Just as the thing was about to finish him off, Nico immediately ran to Percy's aid. He _again_ , couldn't let anything hurt his Percy.

He'd let his feelings get to him and it almost killed himself in the process. His kick landed just barely out of claw's reach. A scrath doesn't sound like much, but there's always something more deadly about it than normal cuts.

Nico finished off the monster with a stab from his sword. "Percy!" Thalia yelled, running to his aid. "You're...you're going to be alright." She started doing some medical "hunterish" stuff. Thalia didn't seem sure he would make it. Percy blacked out and so did Nico's heart.

Although, he never showed it, he was crying inside, he didn't want to see a world without Percy. He wasn't sure he could ever like anyone as much as he liked _him._

...

...

...

After Nico had mentally calmed himself down, he realized that he was worrying too much. His friends were both still alive. Thalia was there for him.

He and Thalia settled down around the unconcious Percy. The pair had a long moment of awkward silence. Nico wasn't sure if his face showed his worry, but Thalia seemed to know how he felt.

"You know...he's still alive." Thalia said, breaking the ice. "You were pretty cool back there you know..." Nico said flustered. He wasn't quite sure if he was blushing or not. Thankfully she didn't notice.

"Oh, thanks. It can't be as cool as absorbing their essence with your mere prescence." Nico was _sure_ he was blushing this time. Thalia shifted uneasily.

"Look Nico, about Bianca..." Thalia started. "Don't. Please." NIco snapped. Just the mention of her name made his chest ache. "Okay..I'm sorry." She said. "No it's fine, I'm sure you understand, I mean you've lost people too, You're mother right?" Nico wanted to catch himself, but it was too late.

Thalia's eyes widened, then she looked pained. She regained her composure. "That's not much to me. I didn't get to know her well enough, I was actually looking for someone else..." She said it as if holding something back. " You had a little brother, I know." He said sympathetically. "Oh, uh... yeah..." Their eyes met and they understood each other.

Nico could tell by the tone of her voice that she didn't want to talk about it. _Especially_ not to some twelve-year old. Physically she wasn't much older, but mentally, yes. He decided to drop the topic.

_Silence._

"What about you?" she asked squeakily. "Are...you...okay?" Nico would've responded but he got lost in her eyes. He shook off his trance and replayed the question in his head. It was a simple question, but he _immediately_ knew what she was talking about. That was then when his emotions went haywire again.

He quickly calmed himself down. "Oh yeah...she...died...for you and Percy..." _'I would too'_ he wanted to continue. Unfortunately, he was cut-off. "I know...I'm sorry. You know... the night before, she made me promise." "Promise what?" "To watch over you. As much as I can." Nico wasn't sure if he was hallucinating, but he could see a halo above her head. _'Marry me...'_ he said in his head. Then he remembered she was a hunter. The thought made him want to scream.

Nico decided at that moment that he hated the hunters. They have yet taken another person away. All he could do now, was hope that she would stay in his life. "Please...don't promise me." he stuttered.

"Nico..." she sighed, then out came a hug of solace. His face attempted to smile. He had never felt this affection, this _love,_ in a long time, since Bianca died. Nico decided that he would remember this moment forever.

Nico felt happy, but his negativity started clouding his thoughts again. "Thalia, I feel...so numb. Inside. I have no one left. Even after I fulfilled my part in this prophecy, no one will remember me. No one will accept me _for who I am_. I'm a son of _Hades, NO ONE, will ever love me in any way..."_

Nico wasn't sure if she knew what he was hinting at. _His secret._ "No..." said Thalia, as if she were in denial. " _Yes,_ people only talk to me when they need something. Majority of the time, it has to do with quests. After that, what am I? Useless...they'll all just leave me in the shadows like always."

"Nico," her voice cracked. "why would you say that? It...it doesn't work like that. No... we watch each other's backs as demigods. As _friends."_ She stared at him promisingly. "But you hardly know me..." said Nico.

"Nico, it may not seem like it, but I _do_ care about you." Thalia assured him. "Why though?" Nico asked coldly."I don't know, but there's certainly _something_ there." She winked. Nico blushed. Even though he knew she didn't mean it like _that._ He couldn't help but blush at the thought. "If there's anything Bianca had told me, care doesn't just come from how much you've been through, or how much time you spend. It just happens somehow..." Thalia stuttered. "Sorry, I lost my thought." she sighed.

"Oh yeah!" She snapped her fingers."She says that, as a person, you have no idea who you're inspiring, and how many people you affect."

Nico's eyes widened. The words sounded familiar. "Life and love are just words..." Thalia continued. Nico joined in finishing the quote. "Life and love are just words, until you have people, to give it meaning..." They said at the same time. Nico and Thalia managed a smile as their eyes met.

"She also says that 'it takes a village to raise a child'." Thalia reminded him. "Haha, I remember her telling me that once..." They smiled as it was the begining of a beautiful relationship. Percy began to wake up.

That was then when his happy memory began to fade. As they always say, you never remember the good dreams. That would mean that she was the dream he wouldn't remember.

Everything turned black as he slipped back into conciousness. He could smell the courtyard again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: I hope this dream sequence wasn't too confusing. I probably lost some viewers because the time gap between books and the dream might confuse alot of people. It would be ESPECIALLY confusing if you haven't read The Sword of Hades. So if you didn't read it, I apologize for spoiling or confuzzling you.


	6. A Painful Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Books You'll need to have read: The Blood of Olympus

**Nico: (Barrachina Courtyard [again])**

Nico hated sleep paralysis so much. He couldn't open his eyes but he could smell the crushed ruins of the courtyard. He felt like he was falling which panicked him for a moment and he opened his eyes. The coach looked at him, stunned. "You're alive!" He snorted directly at his ears.

"Jeez kid, I didn't know you had such a....condition." Hedge told him about how he had started fissuring up the empousai. He had destroyed more than half the town. Hedge said he heard him calling out for Reyna, and shouting ' _JUST...DIE.'_ The shadow aura and everything vanished leaving an unconcious Nico and a ruined courtyard.

Nico stared at Hedge, but he got the message. ' _I_ did that?' He couldn't believe himself. _He did that?_ For the first time in his life, he truly witnessed what bad emotions could drive you to do.

If he let his emotions get to him, everything would fall apart, including himself. Hedge seemed to notice the disgust and guilt that he was feeling. "Hey, kid, don't sweat yourself, we all get a little angry sometimes." Nico didn't feel reassured.

"Let's just hope it doesn't get any worse." "Yeah..." Hedge seemed to agree. Nico still felt as if he was _jinxing_ himself by saying that. "By the way, I got a surprise for you." Nico's eyes widened. "Uhm, why do I feel uncomfortable all of a sudden?" He already knew why. Surprises from coach weren't exactly the definition of "gifts".

He followed Hedge's lead until they got to the exit of the courtyard. A girl with skin almost as pale as his turned around. He could see for a split-second, that she seemed stunned. Her hair was about medium-length black and spiky. She wore a tiara over her head with bripped black jeans and a worn out black Greenday t-shirt under her silver parka jacket. Her bow was sheathed on her back. Her electric-blue eyes beamed at him intensely. "Deathboy?"

...

...

...

Nico's heart dropped. He had anough surprizes for the day. He didn't even know what to think. Should he say 'I love you?' Should he run up and give her a hug? Should he give a casual 'hi?' Or should he take out his anger and punch her, for breaking her promise? He refrained from that last thought.

"Thalia..." He said with an unreadable tone. Hedge backed away slowly as if any sudden movements would trigger an explosive. "I think I'll leave this up to you kid."

Nico stared at her, speechless. "I...um...what, what happened, why'd you leave?" _What did he just do?_ Thalia looked anxious. She ignored his question. "There's not really any time right now to talk." She laughed nervously. Thalia seemed like she wanted to get away from him as soon as possible. "I..." "Come one, we have to save your friend. Follow me. You uhh, with me Bianca's little brother?" She said trying to avoid his question.

Nico suddenly remembered all the hate that he had for the hunters. _She dare have the nerve to call me that after breaking a promise?_ He swiftley turned to face her. "Don't call me that!" Nico snapped. He noticed that she already had her bow drawn. He would normally cry like a little kid after being terrified of himself, he learned to calm himself down instead.

"Don't challenge me Nico. I'm under alot of stress too! If you don't want to save Reyna then fine. I can just retreat with my unit." She had a threatening tone, but he could sense the fear in her voice.

_Does he even know what he was angry at?_ Hedge lay down from a-far drinking smoothie while staring as if he were watching an intense ping-pong game. "Like you care about her. Just like you cared _so much_ about Bianca." He accused.

"That wasn't my fault!" Thalia fought back. "You _and_ Percy both LET her die!" yelled Nico.

"You think I don't care?!"

"You sure as stix don't show it! You were never there for me...my only friend..."

"She was my closest friend! I always looked up to her. She was my inspiration... and she died, for us. Do you know how many hunters have died for me? For a cause? And you think I don't care!?" Thalia exploded.

"She died for YOU! She died knowing you were the demigod of the first prophecy...and yet, you joined the hunters, to leave the prophecy...to leave me..." Nico's eyes were stinging. "She...died for you..." His voice was failing, but it was much more calm.

"I know." Thalia said.

"And you think you can just replace her? Recruiting more, as if she didn't exist. And you dare call me 'Bianca's little brother,' like you have a right. Like you were her friend." He glared.

She looked at him with sympathy in her eyes. "Nico...it's not like that." she sighed sadly, as if holding back years of guilt and regret. "I never forgot about her." She pulled out a black square paper from her back-pocket. It was a photo of Bianca and Thalia shopping. She was smiling along with Grover the Satyr.

"This was the day of the quest, before Percy found us. We had a personal talk, and I remember the promise. I promised I would be by your side as much as I can." Nico, looked down with shame on his face. He regretted what he said. He felt as if he poisoned another friendship.

Thalia had a look of regret on her face. "I know..I broke that promise. And...I'm sorry. I should've been a better friend to you," She met his abyssal-black eyes. "I was so scared Nico, I just lost someone who was special to me...Luke. I joined the hunters so I could escape the prophecy, I didn't want to die again... the things I saw down there..." her voice cracked.

Nico understood directly what she meant. He vaguely remembered a nightmare he saw in Tartarus. He saw Thalia sacraficing herself to save Annabeth, Grover, and Luke. He had also saw what she saw in her days of being part of the pine tree in Camp Half-Blood. She was half-way between the living and the dead, and all she could see was a view of the horrors in the underworld. He knew firsthand, what it was like to be in a scary place. After all, he did travel around Tartarus.

Nico could see the broke in her eyes. She was just as broken as him. She looked so sad about _everything_ , that he couldn't be angry. He was ignorant to think that she didn't even care. Everyone had been through alot. That was something he had to understand.

Nico met her electric-blue eyes. Something about it, calmed him down, and warmed his heart. As if all his pain and struggles, all he has been through, were gone. He blushed.

"You're...you're right. It wasn't your fault. I'm sorry Thalia, you've been through alot too." He opened himself for a hug. She obliged, dropping her bow in the process.

They stared in silence. Thalia managed a smile. Nico was vaguely aware of Hedge sitting down. He was slowly leaning back as if he were falling asleep.

"You know, I never thanked you..." She said, her voice sweet and calm. "For what?" Nico asked.

"You saved my life, back in Manhattan. Even though you hated me, you still saved me like I was your friend. You're a sweet boy Nico, and a great person." Thalia said reassuringly.

"Thalia...I..." He hesitated. Nico regained his composure. "You were more than just a friend to me. Even back when I met Percy." He said without hesitation. Although Thalia didn't seem to understand what he was hinting at.

"I thought about you every single day, since you left after the War. I...I...was stupid... to think you..." he lost all his courage to talk.

"What...? What do you mean you...oh... you like... me..." Thalia looked surprised and confused, but she understood what he meant. It was her turn to blush now.

Percy had stolen a part of his heart. He was Nico's first crush, and opened his heart to a new perspective in life. _Love_. Of course, like he already knew would happen deep inside, it ended up being crushed. All he looked forward to after that was him ending up with someone else perfect for him. _Thalia_ , he thought. And that was all he could ever think of since then.

" _You're_ a great person Thalia. I always admired you, A LOT. I looked up to a lot of things about you..." Nico said. "A LOT...I can make a long list of things I like about you." He was certainly stuttering awkwardly, and he knew it.

"Thank you Nico..." she said happily.

They had both vented out all their emotions for the day. "Come on, we have to save your friend."

"I say you should listen to the cupcake, cupcake." Hedge said suddenly. Thalia picked up her bow. "Right..." Nico said, drawing his sword from his chained belt.

"But hey, I'll think about what you said." she winked at him. Nico blushed. "But...Artemis..." Nico was cut-off. "Let's just regroup with my platoon..." Thalia had a pained look on her face. Maybe it was the thought of Artemis not allowing her to love a _boy?_


	7. Goodbye for now...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Blood of Olympus

**Nico: (unknown location)**

The trio walked for what felt like an entire mile. He was surprised he even had energy to walk despite how little he had eaten. He was so busy admiring himself that he didn't notice a dozen hunters standing ahead of him until Thalia stopped suddenly.

All the hunters had their bows trained at something, although Nico couldn't see it. "Alright ladies! Listen up! These two here are our V.I.P.s," she pointed to Nico and Hedge."You're going to get them to Reyna and the Athena Parthenos. Does anyone want to be a BOY and resist?" She demanded in her drill sergeant-like voice.

The hunters saluted her in a military-like formation. They seemed to take the word 'boy' as an insult. Nico felt a loud rumbling and vibration under his feet. That was when he began to panic. He realized the Giant had already somehow gotten to Reyna.

Nico overheard one hunter whispering, "Why are we protecting a boy?" Thalia responed to her with, "Because this one promised to save the camps with the Athena parthenos, and to me, he's different. He won't break any promises. Am I right Nico?" She winked at Nico. He immediately evaded her eyes to prevent from blushing.

He _has_ to focus. Especially now. He couldn't let Reyna die. He couldn't let another person be taken away from him. _Last time he didn't get to say goodbye_ he thought regretfully.

"Hey..." Thalia whispered behind him. "It'll be fine. We got this." Nico _hoped_ they got it. He didn't exactly fully trust them with keeping people alive. That was then when he began to worry about Thalia. His anger towards the hunters began to creep into his emotions again

'NO! Not now Nico, focus!' he thought. "If we've done our calculations correctly, Reyna and the Giant should be at about 1,500 meters." ' _What? 1,500 meters?'_ Nico thought. They were apparently going to shoot a Giant from 1,500 meters away...with bows and arrows... _really?_

If Thalia was saying that they got it, he wasn't convinced. The idea sounded as stupid as his idea that he would end up with Percy. The hunters seemed to disagree, as they casually nodded. It's as if 1,500 meters was nothing to them.

"We'll give the mark for you to fire. Alpha will hook it from the west of the objective and let loose another rain of arrows." She said to the hunters, gesturing to the left of a distant building. "That's when _you_ guys are going to pepper him. Your guys' objective is to protect us while lighting the Giant up. Me, Nico, and Hedge will Blitzkrieg it straight down the middle." She pointed to the large, lone, building across the grassy field. "Got it _boys_?" She ordered.

'Oorah lieutenant.' The hunters chanted all at once. "Are you sure they're there?" Nico whispered behind Thalia. "Yes! They have to be. That's where they would be if they retreated, like I ordered them to." Nico nodded. "Okay...I'm ready then."

...

...

...

The trio rushed towards a cracked wall towards the building. Hedge with his nimble legs, lifted them, both on each of his shoulders. "Hold hands, this'll be a fun ride." The two obliged. The coach wall run them up the three-story building. Thalia seemed focused on keeping balance. Nico however, couldn't help but be distracted at the sight of his arm around hers. _'Focus you stixhead!'_ He thought.

Once they finally got to the roof, Thalia drew something from her parka jacket. "Okay...on three... THREE!" She yelled as she threw a canister of greek fire at the weak building flooring. A deafening boom was heard as the floor demolished in front of them.

"You sure we have enough back up?" Nico asked doubtedly. "Don't worry, I brought a few friends..." Hundreds of hunters' silhouettes appeared from a distance. Hedge readied his metal bat. He jumped in screaming, "Die!" Nico jumped in almost immediately after him.

Gleeson Hedge dropped directly behind Orion, smacking his baseball bat over the Giant's head so hard the Louisville Slugger cracked in half.

At the same time, Nico di Angelo dropped in front. He slashed his Stygian sword across the giant's bowstring, causing the pulley's and gears to zip and creak, the string recoiling with hundreds of pounds of force until it whacked Orion in the nose like a hydraullic bullwhip.

"OOOOOOOOOW!" Orion staggered backward, dropping his bow.

_That's what you get for messing with my new sister._ Nico thought.

Hunters of Artemis appeared along the rooftops, shooting Orion full of silver arrows until he resembled a glowing hedgehod. He staggered blindly, holding his nose, his face streaming with golden ichor.

Thalia grabbed Reyna's arm. "Come on!" Thalia Grace yelled.

"Go with her!" a girl in all-black leather ordered to Reyna. "Sister-" she was cut-off. "You have to leave! NOW!" Hylla grabbed one of the Giant's legs. She yanked him off balance and tossded him several blocks down the Calle San Jose, to the general consternation of several dozen cats. The Hunters ran after him along the rooftops, shooting arrows that exploded with Greek fire, wreathing the giant in flames.

"Your sister's right," Thalia said. "You need to go." Nico and Hedge fell in alongside her, both looking pleased with themselves. Which of course, Nico was.

"Nico," Reyna said, "you look-"

"Not a word about the shirt," he warned. "Not one word.

"Why did you come looking for me?" she demanded. "You could have gotten away free. The giant has been tracking _me_. If you had just left-"

"You're welcome cupcake," the coach grumbled. "We weren't about to leave without you. Now let's get out of..." He glanced over Reyna's shoulder as his voice faultered. Reyna turned.

Behind her, the second-story balconies of her family house were crowded with glowing figures: a man with a forked beard and rusted conquistador armor; another beardead man in eighteenth century pirate clothes, his shirt peppered with gunshot holes; a lady in a bloody nightgownl a U.S. Navy from her childhood-all of them glaring at her accusingly.

Nico could see what she was seeing due to him being a child of Hades. He could see all her ghosts.

Nico took her arm. "Reyna, who are they? What do they-?" "I can't I-I can't."

"It's all right." Nico gazed up at the balconies. The ghosts disappeared. "We'll get you out of here," Nico promised. "Let's move."

Thalia helped Reyna to her knees. She was still enshocked by the ghosts she'd witnessed. She didn't seem to be able to hear anything they were saying.

Thalia stared up at the roof. She sighed with sadness. "You guys have to go!" Thalia ordered. "But..." Nico hesitated. "We can't just leave you! _I_ can't leave you! Not again!"

She met his eyes, trying to reassure him. She looked at him as if she were about to cry. He knew she wouldn't want him to suffer with her. But he _wanted_ to suffer with her. As long as he was with her.

It finally made sense now; she was trying to fulfill Bianca's last wish... It was to save him. He wanted to say _goodbye_ but his voice failed him.

He blinked away tears as he let the shadows consume him, Hedge, and an oblivious Reyna. Thalia drew her shield and spear as Orion burst through the wall in front of her.

It was only when he was pulled into the shadows did he allow himself to breath. A wave of emptiness crowded his heart, as he already knew that he might not ever see her again.


	8. I'll save you this time...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and onwards takes place after the Blood of Olympus

**Nico : (after The Blood of Olympus)**

Nico lay in his bed staring up at the ceiling. It had felt like months ago that he'd escaped Barrachina. He didn't know why, but he still felt sad, despite having a new friend. He was grateful for having Will Solace, but he still longed for someone who he _felt it_ with. He didn't feel it with Will. Besides, he wasn't really his type either.

The sad thoughts surrounded him as he realized why. No one could give him the same skeletal butterflies he felt with _her_. The last time he had seen her was when she 'sacraficed' herself for him.

He never got to know her better. He never got to express to her how he _truly_ felt about her. Without getting to say 'goodbye' he was pulled into shadows.

The thought only made Nico feel worse. He was currently stuck with a _what if_ in his life. He missed her so much. He never got to say a proper goodbye...his eyes began to sting.

He remembered the sad look on her face before turning around to face the giant Orion.

Everything then turned black to him. Just like that...she was gone again...leaving him without an answer...never knowing how she felt about him.

He swallowed a lump in his throat as he sat up from his bed. He stared down at his knees emptily. The light in his room was dim. He looked around to find himself alone in the room except for Will Solace, who was looking at him with worry on his face.

Will sat across the far end of the Infirmary. "What's wrong?" Will asked. "Will...I'm sorry, I...I can't." Nico started.

"Can't what?" Will asked curiously. "You can tell me anything..."

"There was someone else-" "I know..." Will said, cutting him off. He released a sigh of relief, and then nodded like he'd known all along. "How?"

"I felt the pain and darkness in your hands through my empathy link. I can feel the heartbreak in you..." Will explained.

"I'm...I'm so sorry Will. Don't get me wrong though, you're still a great guy." Nico said apologetically. Will shrugged. "Hey, no worries, I'm fine with you being _just_ a friendly face." He smiled reassuringly. "Thanks..." Nico leaned back, still having a somber look on his face.

...

...

...

"Will?" Nico asked curiously. "Yes?" Will responded. "I don't know why...but I still feel like she's alive, somehow. She...she just...she can't be dead." He said with denial in his voice. If he'd recalled the day after he'd escaped, he felt the same death-link he felt with Leo, but on Thalia.

"Maybe she is...maybe she isn't. Whatever you want to do, I'll support it," Will started. "But for now...you need at least one more night's rest okay?" He pleaded. "Okay..."Nico agreed. He laid back and closed his eyes.

...

...

...

_Save her! Save her!_

Voices repeated all around Nico. His surrounding was all pitch-black. He was back in his hallucination again.

_You should've stayed. Why'd you leave her? Why'd you leave her?_

The voices kept repeating several more bad thoughts like these. He curled up and covered his ears, gritting his teeth. Nico was going crazy again.

The voices suddenly stopped.

Silence.

Nico looked up to find that he was in a large room with walls and flooring made of stone. He got up and regained his composure. Straight down his line of sight, led a red carpet towards a throne. A woman with dark hair and silver eyes wore a cloack and hood over her head. Her face looked to be about twelve.

To the left of the woman lay a badly beaten girl in a stone bed. It was Thalia Grace. She had lost her parka and now wore a leather jacket, which was also worn down. She lay unconcious, sprawled on the stone bed with a silver blanket over her. Even unconcious, she looked beautiful.

She had really large scratches and rips on her clothes and body. He felt like fainting at the sight.

Nico's eyes widened. He stared at her speechless. _She is alive!_ he thought with relief.

"Hello, Nico Di Angelo." Artemis said. Her voice was stern with anger.

"What do you want?! What's Thalia doing here?"

"What do _I_ want?" Artemis threatened. "What do _you_ want? she continued.

"Why would you deceive her with your fake love and then simple leave. She now lies here dead because _you_ left her. A stupid _boy_." She insulted.

"Let her go!" Nico cried.

"Oh...but you already did that _for_ me..."

Nico's rage exploded. She had went _too_ far this time. He felt like the way he'd felt when he faced the scum Bryce Lawrence.

"SHUT...UP...!" Nico summoned a razor-sharp obsidian rock and launched it towards Artemis. A cloud of dust blinded him for a moment. When it cleared, everything was black again. He panted heavily.

 _Stupid BOY!_ Artemis's voice yelled.

"Where are you?!" Nico cried out.

No response.

"What do you _want_ with us?!

_You say 'us' as if you are on her side._

_Do you even know how much my poor lieutenant has suffered because of YOU? A BOY. Some infatuated, teenage, BOY!_

"I LOVED her!" He yelled.

_Then prove it to me...prove it to HER._

"...How...?" Nico held back the anger in his voice.

_Find me, and your test shall begin. As of now, your 'love' will remain here, suffering in pain because of YOU._

...

...

...

Nico gasped as he awoke. He looked through a window in the infirmary. It was already dawn. The blue outside light shone on his face.

"Will?" Nico called out. "Yes?!" Will came bursting through a door. "What? What? Is something wrong?"

"Will...I...I have to save her." Nico stuttered. "Who?" He asked.

"Thalia...she..." he was panting heavily. "She has _her!"_ he managed to say.

"Huh, so that's the 'someone else', you were talking about." Will said.

"Yeah...I have to go...NOW!" Nico demanded removing a blanket off of himself.

"You can't go alone." Will pleaded.

"I'm not going to let you _die_ because of me. You're not coming." Nico responded coldly.

"That's not what I meant..." Will pulled out from under Nico's bed, a stitched up aviator jacket. _It was HIS jacket!_ "But, how?" Nico asked. "A little help from Cecil in the Hermes cabin. We also found these..." He pulled out a pair of black jeans and a black skull-designed t-shirt.

"Wow...Will...-" "And one more thing you almost forgot..." He reached for his back pocket and pulled out a square paper. It was the photo of Bianca and Thalia. Nico stared in awe.

"See? You're not going alone. She'll be with you." Will reassured him.

"Thank you..." Nico muttered. They embraced in a hug. "I'll be back, I promise..."

Will sighed sadly. "Okay...but don't make promises you can't keep, my friendly-faced buddy." Nico forced a smile at him one more time before exiting the infirmary.

...

...

...

Nico changed into the clothes that Will had given him. He felt like his old self again. His aviators jacket felt heavier and thicker. He reached into its inside pockets. There was a load of supplies in it: ambrosia, nectar, bandages, a small bottle of water, and a small bag of dehydrated food.

"Thank you Will." He muttered to himself.

Nico looked up at the sky. A skull-shaped cloud in the gloomy blue sky, caught his attention. On its forhead was the shape of an arrow pointing towards the Camp Half-Blood woods. Clearly it was the work of Artemis.

Nico sheathed his Stygian iron sword into his chained belt and faced Thalia's tree. "It's _my_ turn to save _you_ " He promised.

Nico faded into the shadows of the woods, traveling to the unknown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Jeez...Nico never gets a break does he? Also...I'd like to say HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII, to my friend, James Henderson! The very first person to read my works :) Thanks man you're awesome.


	9. The Fight Begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: If you're sad or disappointed by this Chapter because of...you know... then I beg you to please wait till next chapter, It'll surprise you and make up for the 'death' in this chapter.

**Nico: (Artemis' Throne)**

Nico started to hate arrows alot. He knew from the start, that something felt off when he began to shadow-travel. Something pulled him off-course and slammed him into a stoned wall. His head felt like a million italian pizza doughs.

He quickly brushed off his daze. Around him, was the same room he sought to find. The room in his dream.

 _'Wow, that was easy'_ he thought. He looked up in horror at the sight in front of him.

Thalia Grace lay on the stone bed, her skin now turned to a tinted-blue. His heart sank at the sight. His dream was true: she really is dying.

"I was foolish to think some _boy_ could find his way to me." A voice came from behind him. Out of instinct, he drew his sword and slashed behind him.

Unfortunately, he missed as the hooded figure was quicker than he. He took a quick glance at the latter; _Artemis._

In return, she ducked and then sweep-kicked him down. She then teleported, leaving a cloud of gas. Nico coughed as he cursed. "Fart bombs..."

"I'd think you'd be more appreciative Nico... After all, I did more than half the work for you." She appeared sitting on her throne again.

"You're saying, _you_ were the one who brought me here?" Nico stood up. Artemis nodded.

"As I've said, a stupid _boy_ could never have good tracking skills as a hunter. Much less, a boy can't even pick which side he likes, or if he even knows what _love_ is."

Nico felt numb at the word. He began to have relapses of his experience with Favonious. "You...you shut..." his voice failed. His fear was coming back.

"Poor Nico Di Angelo, haven't I taught you better than to let anger control you?" came a voice behind him. _Favonious_. Nico gasped. He began to feel anxious.

"You...Youre...haven't you tested me enough?!" Nico glared. "Oh, but that was merely a test of accepting yourself."

"And I did." Nico said bluntly.

Favonious' voice changed into his inhuman tone. _Now, you must prove to me, what you would do for LOVE._

"I've been through more than you can imagine!" He charged at Artemis, only to be knocked back down by a barrier of win surrounding her. _Not so fast._

"The question though is," Artemis started. "do you even know, what _she_ has been through? Because of YOU?"

Nico crawled to retrieve his sword, then looked at the unconcious Thalia. Her eyes stayed closed in anguish. Her lips moved as if to say, 'Nico...don't...' but no sound came out.

 _And yet, you still hate her, deep inside your infatuated little mind._ "No..." Nico denied. "She's...she's the reason I still fight!"

"Oh really? But fighting what? Her?" Artemis concluded.

_I can see it Nico, deep inside, you haven't truly forgiven her. You still question why she left._

"No...no no...I forgave her! She told me what she's been through!" He denied. "And she's stronger than any of you gods and your twisted..."

"She...left... _again_..." He began to break down. "Why? Why does she always leave? I...needed her..." He cried out. Thalia's unconcious body began to shift, but barely. "...why...?" He asked quietly.

_And soon, you shall find out..._

Cupid zoomed past him at the speed of sound, and upwards Nico went. He burst through the stoned interior and landed atop of the roof.

The sky was filled with clouds and it was strangely snowing. The air was so foggy that all he could see were many stoned pillars all across the large arena. The side of Nico's head was starting to bleed. He looked all around him, on high-alert.

Through the mist, came Lady Artemis in all her glory. She donned a hood and a sinister smile. Nico, still dazed, charged at her anyway. He wouldn't let her down, _especially_ not now. It was _his_ turn to save _her._

Artemis quickly shot three arrows at Nico, with inhuman speed. He barely managed to dodge them, with two scratching his shoulders. He staggered in pain.

"I'd rather have her _die_ than end up with a fate as bad as a _boy!"_ Artemis snarled. She then shot a rain of arrows above Nico. Luckily, he was quick enough to levitate a chunk of obsidian to shade him like an umbrella.

That was the moment when Favonious, appearing out of nowhere, summoned wind, and catapulted Nico to a nearby pillar, crumbling it in the process.

Artemis launched herself at Nico as he lay sprawled on the floor. He quickly rolled out of the way as she impaled the ground that he was laying on.

Nico kicked her backwards with inhuman force. He then picked up his sword and engaged Artemis in an intense _sword vs daggers_ fight.

Their weapons clashed and sparked in the cold weather. The goddess fought with so much speed and agility that Nico was forced into defensive. All he could do, was block as she striked with faster and faster speed.

Eventually, she staggered him with a kick, then attempted to decapitate him with her daggers, like giant scissors.

Luckily he ducked but she was still quick. She slashed downward at him with both of her daggers. He immediately raised his sword to block them.

With their weapons locked, it was now a matter of physical strength. Nico was beginning to gain the upper hand. He grunted as he pushed with all his strength.

Artemis cackled. "Heh...you're pretty strong, for a _boy._ "

 _How insulting..._ Nico thought sarcastically.

"All I know..." he said gritting his teeth, "Is...I'm strong enough to defeat you!" He yelled victoriously.

Under Artemis' feet, were skeleton's arms grabbing onto her feet. Nico broke through her daggers and slashed across her chest, as the skeletons dragged her from down under. She struggled as they pinned her down. _Just die!_ he thought.

Nico took a breath as he let the skeletons do the work.

 _Whatever happened to letting go of your anger?_ Came Favonious behind him suddenly.

A gust of wind threw Nico up into the air. He managed to open his eyes in the dry air. At last second, he saw three arrows with red heart-shaped tips fly towards him.

He quickly used his sword to deflect two of them. Unfortunately, the third one sunk into his right shoulder. He began to go into a free fall. Before he hit the ground, he phased into the shadows, saving himself.

 _Hiding again are we Nico?_ Favonious chided. He readied his bow, and stood guard.

"Oh, I'm impressed little boy..." Artemis said, destroying the last skeleton. "You've mastered the shadows...Unfortunately for you..." she notched an arrow on her bow.

"As the goddess of the hunt...I can see through the dark shadows..." she shot an arrow into the shadow of the pillar Nico was hiding behind. "Agh!" he screamed in pain.

The arrow his his left arm, revealing him. He staggered back into the open. _I hate arrows so much_ he thought.

Favonious summoned another gust of wind, slamming Nico into more pillars.

**Thalia: (Artemis' Throne)**

Thalia vaguely heard some muffled talking and rock collisions. She could've sworn she heard Nico's voice.

Nico...he'd been through alot too, and yet she had left him, yet again. At least he was safe thanks to the hunters fighting off Orion. She had been stupid to try to divert a giant by herself.

Thalia still felt the bruises and cuts all over her body, even in sleep paralysis mode. She vaguely remembered the hunters carrying her in a stretcher to Lady Artemis.

Artemis seemed to already sensed what happened: Thalia had developed feelings for a _boy,_ out of the blue, and sacraficed herself for him. She was speechless, and half-concious, but she remembered Artemis whispering to her, 'I will bring you to my throne room Lieutenant, in order to test if this boy really IS worth. As of now, you will rest in pain amongst a bed in my throne. Think of it, as...punishment, for denying my laws.'

...

...

...

Thalia felt the bitterness in Artemis' words. The thought of never finding love made her feel empty, like she had felt when she fought Luke. She though that she would never fall for any guy again. She was wrong however, something about Nico was different.

And now, Artemis was going to lead him to his death. _It's not fair._ she thought. She wanted to cry. All she could do with her little strength was mutter, "Nico...don't...," hoping that somehow he would hear her. Unfortunately, her voice failed.

 _We can't leave you!_ _ **I**_ _can't leave you!_ Nico's voice echoed in her head.

_I'm sorry Thalia, you've been through alot too._

An image of Nico hugging her before she began to cry, flashed through her head.

That memory alone, was enough to give her strength to wake up. Her eyes flung open as she gasped. She looked around her bed to see taht she truly was inside of Artemis' throng. _How cruel..._ she thought. The whole place was made of stone. Thalia saw a hole on the ceiling, which revealed snowy weather.

Her whole body ached from the pain. She gritted her teeth as she fell from the bed. With her strength sapping, she used all her effort to crawl to some stairs. She tried her best to stand, using the wall as her support to climb up the stone steps. She could feel the cool air of the snow coming from the door leading to the roof.

Thalia barged through the door, trying to keep her balance. What she saw, horrified her.

Nico shouted in pain as he stumbled out from behind a stoned pillar. His face was bleeding down from his temple to his chin. His face was bleeding from his temples, and he had an arrow in his left arm, and shoulder. He was badly cut all over.

Something invisible then began to sway him around in the air and slammed him into more pillars.

"N...Nico!" Thalia yelled, stumbling on the snow. She saw a man with Blood-red eyes and wearing all white grinning with satisfaction as he controlled where Nico flew. It was _Favonious_ , the love god. She'd heard stories about him.

Right next to him was Lady Artemis, notching an arrow in her bow. Favonious held Nico in the air, still like a target. He groaned in pain. Artemis aimed her bow at Nico's head. She released the arrow. All Thalia could manage was a gasp.

...

...

...

Nico hung his head down as if he were dead. "Heh..." he muttered, lifting his head up again revealing that he'd caught the arrow by its tip between his teeth."Live for each other...right Thals?" He spat the bloody arrow at Favonious.

Favonious, angered, threw him into another pillar. "Aghhh!" Nico yelled.

"Pl...Please!" Thalia begged. "S...s...stop!"

"No!" Artemis said, insanity in her eyes. "Let this boy learn what it is to love a hunter!"

Thalia stumbled barely keeping her balance. She grabbed onto Artemis with a dagger drawn. Artemis easily elbowed her back. Favonious threw Nico into another pillar.

Thalia attempted to strike her again, but this time Artemis retaliated by punching her into a wall. She yelped in pain.

"Thalia!" Nico yelled, still sprawled along the floor. He looked worried and scared, but he regained his stance. His face immediately changed from pain to anger. He let loose a gutteral scream.

"Nico...please-" her voice croaked. She wanted to stand, but everything on her was hurting.

He screamed with effort as sharp pointy white rocks...no...bones, formed a cage around Favonious. "Urghhhh...NO!" Favonious yelled.

He struggled, not being able to budge from his cage. Nico then glared at Artemis, his eyes filled with bloodlust. He charged at her with his sword ready. She quickly drew her daggers, but it didn't help. Nico started clashing weapons with her.

He fought like a demon. Artemis was forced into defensive now. He grunted with anger, as he smashed her daggers with his stygian sword. His slashes were faster than any human eye can catch. Artemis struggled to keep up.

Nico's sword was like a fast windmill at this point. Artemis, impressively, kept blocking his strikes, sparking as their weapons clashed. "Ah!" Artemis screamed suddenly. He managed to graze her hand, disarming her left dagger.

She continued to block his strikes with her one dagger, but it was less effective. She locked weapons with Nico. He kicked her in the stomach, sending her five feet away.

Artemis, tired, desperately raised her dagger, as Nico angrily smashed his sword at it repeatedly with all his energy.

Favonious struggled but didn't seem to be able to release himself. Nico disarmed Artemis' last dagger. "AHHH!" He yelled raising his sword for one last strike. "Let...her...GO!"

"Nico!" Thalia managed to yell, with her weak voice. Nico paused.

"It's over..." she said trying to pacify him. Her voice was scratchy. "It's...it's over...she's done..." Thalia coughed.

Artemis gasped for air, sprawled on the floor. She lay there exhausted and in pain. Nico, looked at Favonious, he was still grunting and groaning trying to get out of the cacoon.

Nico glanced at Thalia, he nodded in agreement. He calmed down and trudged over to her weakly. "Oh my gods...are you...are you okay?" He said looking at her worriedly. He hugged her, and sighed with relief. "I thought you died...I thought..." he breathed happily.

Silence, and peace at last.

...

...

...

That was then when Thalia gasped in horror. She glanced at the boned cage to see Favonious disintegrate into wind and then reformed, outside of his cacoon. Artemis smirked. "Favonious!" Thalia yelled, but it was too late.

 _Your hatred Nico...let it go..._ Favonious said, with warning in his voice.

Nico slammed into pillar after pillar. He grunted and screamed in pain as he hit each stone, crushing it in the process. Thalia began to beg them to stop. She screamed as much as she could but it didn't help.

Favonious stopped suddenly, and held Nico still in the air, limp. "Shall we give it another try Lady?" Favonious asked.

Artemis notched an arrow in her bow aiming at his chest. Thalia stared in horror, as a stabbing sound was heard.

...

...

...

"NOOOOO!" Thalia yelled in Agony. She fell to her knees. Favonious threw Nico's lifeless body in front of her.

 _I warned you about anger Nico..._ Favonious said sinisterly. "Worthless boy!" Artemis spat.

Thalia desperately crawled to Nico. She began to cry as she held his lifeless body in her arms. "Nico...I'm...I'm so sorry..." her voice cracked. "I...I didn't want this to happen. I...I can't..." Her voice was failing as she sobbed.

"Th...Thalia..." he managed to mutter. With his hands shaking, he reached into his jacket pocket. "I'll save you...I promised..." His hand lay cold in her hand. He lay the picture of Bianca and Thalia on her palm. She felt something plant-like under the photo. His eyes finally closed. "Yes..." Thalia said tearfully. "...You did save me..." She hugged his lifeless body as she sobbed into his shoulder.


	10. The Fight Ends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The conclusion to Arc 1.

**Thalia: (Artemis' Throne)**

"Now lieutenant, you understand the punishment of loving a boy? Think of this every time you choose to fall in love with one." Said Artemis sympathetically. Favonious came in behind her.

_Unforunately, he wasn't strong enough for love, as you can see._ He started. _He wasn't good enough for you. He was weak and let anger empower him."_

Thalia glared at the pair. She didn't care what they were saying now. The gods had yet taken another boy away from her, and she wanted revenge. "Remember this Thalia..." Artemis said as she and Favonious begain to walk away.

...

...

...

"You want to see anger?!" Thalia cried out as she pulled out the ambrosia from under Nico's photo. She gulped the ambrosia down, whole. The color returned to her face, and her wounds healed. She was full of energy and strength now.

She stood up , with electric sparks all around her body.

"I'll show you anger!" She challenged.

Thalia drew her daggers. Favonious and Artemis turned around just as they were pushed downward by the force of Thalia's electric current.

The pair was smashed downward back into the throne room. She ignored her fear of heights for once, ash she summoned wind to fly her down the throne room.

Thalia looked around the room. Favonious was no where to be seen. One down.

Thalia didn't care to keep track, she was now full of hatred. Hatred towards Artemis. She was the reason she had been leaving Nico, and the reason for her suppressed loneliness.

Artemis crawled on the floor coughing. Thalia charged at her with her dual-wielded daggers.

Artemis, being quick, was able to turn around and draw her own daggers.

She easily dodged Thalia, and sweep kicked her. Thalia fell on her back. She desperately tried to crawl to one of her daggers that had dropped. As she reached her hand out, Artemis threw an arrow which grazed her hand.

Artemis then leaped, both daggers raised to impale her. Thalia quickly activated the shield from her bracelet and blocked the latter.

Thalia grunted as she kicked Artemis away. She quickly stood up, to see Artemis charging at her with a spear: _MY collapsible spear!_ She thought.

Thalia quickly held up her shield as it stabbed through the metal plating. They both struggled for their weapons.

"So Thalia?" Artemis chided. "What brings you to kill the one you work for?" Her voice sounded more sinister as she talked.

"Something called..."Thalia struggled."LOVE!"

"HAHAHA!" Artemis laughed cruelly. "You'll soon learn that love for a boy, is-"

"-Something you'll never understand!" Thalia finished in triumph as she summoned the biggest bolt of lightning she could. "NOOOOOOOOO!" Artemis screamed as she was incinerated. The explosion destroyed the entire throne, leaving only debris and smashed rocks.

...

...

...

Thalia crawled out of the debris and into the snow. She coughed violently desperate for air, as her strength began to sap. "I'm sorry Nico..." She said tearfully as she stared at the debris.

Devastated, she began to walk into the cold landscape, leading to nowhere...

...

...

...

Thalia felt a sharp pain from her back and out of her stomach. She looked down to see an arrow tip shaped like a heart, impaling her. She gasped as she had no energy to scream in pain.

_Shall I give YOU a lesson about love as well?_ Said Favonious as she fell to the floor.

Thalia couldn't speak, as she was in shock. Favonious pointed an arrow at her heart as she lay sprawled on the floor. She tried to talk but she was in too much pain. She closed her eyes as a stabbing noise was heard.

...

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From Favonious' chest, stuck out a black stygian iron sword.

"I don't care about love..." Nico started, his face tight with effort, and anger. He gritted his teeth. "I care...about... HER!" He yelled dragging his sword through Favonious' back.

"AGHHHHH!" Favonious' scream echoed in the distance as he crumbled into dust.

"Thalia..." He said sweetly. She looked into his abyssal-black eyes, and managed a weak smile. Her head lolled back and everything turned black.

**Nico: (Aftermath of Artemis' Throne)**

If it weren't for the extra ambrosia Will had packed him, he would've died. Now, Thalia lay in front of him in the aftermath of _his_ battle, dead.

She was dead, because he let his anger get to him, causing him to lose his fight. And again, Thalia had to sacrafice herself for him. A wave of emptiness crowded him again. He felt like screaming and crying...but there was no time for him to mourn.

He just had to keep moving...yeah...run away from anything painful.

Thalia began to move. She stood up facing away from him.

"Thalia! You're alive..." Nico said with relief. She disturbingly pulled out the arrow from her stomach with ease. "It's okay...I'm here... _you're_ here." He said trying to console her.

"..." She didn't respond.

"Thalia?" He persisted.

Thalia turned to face Nico. Her clothes were ripped but she looked fine. He looked at her face, and to his horror, they were a glowing blood-red color. He gasped.

"What...what...what happened?" He stumbled for words. He was now full of fear.

Thalia charged at him, with her two daggers drawn. Nico straged to the side, and regarded his sword. "Thalia! What are you doing?!" He started. " It's me! Nico!" He shouted desperately. He knew it was hopeless, she was gone now. He had lost a love to a fate worse than death.

Thalia summoned a bolt of lighting towards Nico. He immediately summoned a stone to block the lightning force. "Thalia! Stop!" His voice croaked.

She responded by summoning wind to lift him into the air and hurled him through the busted debris. _He was tired of being thrown around._

He regained his balance as he stood back up. Thalia charged at him with a spear and shield with a medusa head design. Nico instantly went into defensive mode as their weapons clashed. He easily slashed her spear away.

Thalia retaliated by bashing him with her shield. She raised her spear again to stab Nico. He barely strafed away from her though.

With her spear stuck on the ground, he took the opportunity to lift his sword and slash her twice on the back. She screamed in pain, which broke Nico's heart. His eyes began to sting.

_NO_. He was tired of heartbreak...His grudges reformed inside him. "You know..." Nico started, dodging another attack from Thalia.

"I went through so much suffering..." She raised her spear again to attempt to slash him. He ducked away from it. "And it was all because of you!" He yelled.

Thalia drew her daggers, and shot electric towards Nico. The electric waves shocked Nico throughout his whole body and sent him flying into the snow.

He struggled to stand. "She...she...died for you..." He said shakily. Thalia sent a gust of wind flying at Nico, which he blocked by summoning a large obsidian rock.

"And yet...you still abandoned me! Right when I needed you!" Nico's voice was filled with pain. "So if you want to fight me...then FINE!" He released all his anger.

Thalia threw her daggers at Nico, which he easily countered by summoning two skulls to intercept. "I hated you anyways!" He yelled."You made me go through so much!" The grass beneath the snow wilted beneath his shoes. Thalia summoned another bolt of lightning.

Nico retaliated by summoning a wall of shadow to absorb it. "I hate you!" He yelled, full of rage. The earth bellow Thalia shifted as skeletons grabbed from down under.

The skeletons grabbed each of her limbs, and pinned her down. Thalia struggled and screamed in Favonious' voice. She seemed to be fighting her way out. "I...HATE...YOU!" Nico shouted with anger.

He called upon the earth to sink her down to her knees. "YOU HEAR ME?! You left me...!" his voice faultered.

A memory of Thalia flashed before his mind. Her electric-blue eyes stared at him sweetly as she said _'We live for each other.'_

Then another memory of her face in anguish before she left him, and face Orion. She sacraficed herself so that he could get away with the Athena Parthenos, and avoid suffering with her.

_Promise me Nico..._ Bianca's voice said.

The memories stopped flashing as he returned to his senses.

...

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...

...

"Thalia..."he said in sorrow. "I...I can't..." he broke down into violent sobs.

"I...I can't hurt you..." His voice cracked. "I just can't..."

He looked down at her now blood-red eyes.

"I see why you left for the Hunters now..." He lost all his focus. The skeletons released Thalia and the earthly fissures closed. The skeletons then faded away.

"You wanted to escape the pain..." His voice was now quiet and somber. "...The pain of losing someone you loved. You lost Luke, and you were scared and broken" Nico's tears started flowing down his eyes. "I know your pain...and I know how you felt now...and I guess it's too late...but if you can hear me.."

The possessed Thalia released herself from the ground. She then walked up to Nico, pointing her spear at him. She readied it so stab him.

"If you can hear...I'm sorry..." He managed to say. He hung his head down, ready to die.

...

...

...

The color in Thalia's eyes turned back to beautiful electric-blue. "Nico..." she said as if just realising what she was doing. "Th...Thalia..." He looked up excitedly. His tears suddenly stopped flowing.

She began to scream in pain as Nico watched, confused and scared. She grabbed her head, as it began to ache violently. "AHHH!" Thalia kept yelling as Favonious' soul left her body. Favonious then reformed into his original self, with the white clothes and all.

Thalia stumbled, losing her balance. She then fell down into Nico's arms.

Nico and Thalia were too drained out to attack him. The both just looked up at him in fear.

_Do not worry. I'll no longer harm you._ Favonious started.

_For you have already passed your test..._

"What...What do you mean?" Nico asked worriedly.

"You see..." Favonious' voice was more happy and human now. " Love is in another aspect...a sense of understanding each other and your individual struggles. A sense of mutual sacrafices, and a sense of being there for each other, and loving unconditionally, no matter what you've done unto the other."

**Understanding each other's struggles...** The words echoed in his head, but he knew directly what he was talking about. Now that Nico understood how Thalia felt fighting Luke, he found the strength to forgive her for joining the hunt.

"Wait! You did ALL this just to prove a point?!" Nico spoke up. Favonious nodded. "It takes alot to get into that thick skull of a Hades child." he replied.

"Thank you... Favonious..." Nico said gratefully.

"Thank a man for doing his job, and it'll go to his head...goodbye Di Angelo...for now. Good luck with the girl." Favonious smirked, as he began walking towards a figure in a silver hood.

"The _girl_ can hear you!" Thalia shouted. "Don't walk awa-UGH!"

"It is done." Favonious said to the hooded figure. "Thank you Favonious." The figure replied. The voice was clearly female. It was _Artemis._ Favonious disappeared into the winds. Artemis walked over to the couple.

Thalia looked up shocked. "I thought I killed you..." Thalia said unbelieving.

"Don't be ridiculous, you can't kill a goddess." Artemis said.

Thalia sighed."I guess so..."

"Look..." Nico started. "Lady Artemis, I'm-"

"Do not apologize. I've learned enough today..." She reassured him. "You're more than just a boy. You're a MAN."

"Wait so...It's okay if I love her?" Nico asked almost like he was asking for permission.

"Normally I'd not trust a man with one of my hunters, but I see now, you're different." Artemis smiled at him.

"Thanks..."

"Don't thank me. I should thank you, for you've changed my mind. Not ALL men would sacrafice and go through so much pain for a _girl_."

"Hey!" Thalia said, feeling insulted. Artemis chuckled.

"It's okay Lieutenant, you'll someday get your chance to mock me as well."

"Wait... _Lieutenant?_ I'm still a hunter of yours?" She asked confused.

"Of course...I can make a few exceptions. After all, the both of you...Well, let's just say, you helped me let go of my grudges as well." All three of them exchanged smiles.

"Now that I'm enlightened to what _true_ love is...I'll risk allowing boys into the hunters as well. But only certain exceptions of course." Nico hoped Artemis wasn't talking about him.

"As the kids' slang say nowadays, tally-ho." Artemis disappeared in a puff of gas.

"That's not what kids say..." Nico said to Thalia. He turned red when he realized he was still holding Thalia in his arms.

"Haha...It's okay Nico..." She said. "I don't mind being in _your_ arms." She moved hair away from his face."After all..." she started.

"We live for each other." They finished at the same time. For once they both had genuine smiles on their faces.

The snowing stopped suddenly and the skies cleared, revealing a beautiful dark blue night sky with stars sparkling. _Just like Thalia's eyes._ Nico thought. He didn't realize that they were staring for too long until he remembered they were still in the middle of nowhere.

"Uhhh..." he looked around embarrassed."We should probably get out of here..."

"Okay...but first..." Thalia leaned in for a kiss. Nico closed his eyes and puckered up.

...

...

Their attempted kiss was then interrupted by lightning that hit about fifteen feet away from them. They both immediately looked towards the sudden flash.

"What now?" They said simultaneously.

After the flash cleared, out came Zeus and Hades.

"Oh...Oh...Oh my. Oh stix." Nico said panicked, as he dropped Thalia and backed away.

"Uhh...dad...?" Thalia said nervously.

"Oh relax!" Zeus started. "We already talked it out, and we decided you guys can live-" Hades elbowed Zeus in the stomach."Ugh...I mean...You guys can do as you please. As long as you only see each other under either one of our territories."Zeus said with a forced smile on his face.

"Okay! I always wondered what the underworld looked like in person!" Thalia said excitedly. Sparks began to fly around her.

"Ummm...those aren't real skulls on her earrings are they son?" Hades whispered to Nico. "No...jeez, relax, not everything with a skull belongs to the underworld."

"Good, that would be a waste of good underworld decor." Hades said relieved. He cleared his throat. "Just...don't... _shock_ anything..."

"Right..." Thalia said as her sparks cleared up.

"ANYWAYS, what are you _really_ here for father?" Nico asked suspiciously.

"What? You don't think I'd visit my own son, simply to congragulate him on getting a girlfriend? That Jackson was annoying anyway, with all his blue and such." Hades said with disgust. "Hey!" Thalia said. Hades ignored her.

"To be fair, It IS kind of hard to picture you doing anything nice...just saying." Nico said pokerfaced.

"Right..." Hades sighed. He glanced over to Zeus." DO NOT expect me to start holding your hand too." He teased.

"Dude...really?" Zeus replied.

"Good bye my first...HAPPY child." Hades smirked as he dissapeared into the darkness. Zeus nodded at Nico before he dissappeared in a flash of light.

...

...

...

Nico looked at Thalia. "Finally..." He sighed. "Do we have to go on a fancy date now?"

"If you call burgers a 'fancy date' then yes." She replied.

"You'll probably love this place called Mcdonald's...It has some of the best burgers ever." Nico said sarcastically. They shared a laugh.

"But first..." Thalia grabbed Nico's hand and released more skeletal butterflies in his stomach than he could handle. She flew upwards into the beautiful night sky.

All around them, the stars sparkled brightly around the full moon. "Aren't you like afraid of heights or something?" he asked. "Not anymore..." she said.

"You know...I really 'hate' you right now..." They laughed. Nico and Thalia's eyes met affectionately. "That's okay... I'm fine with you just the way you are...you're perfect.

Nico leaned in for the best sky-kiss ever.

*****THE END*****

**Credits Song:** Sparks- Mattia Cupelli


	11. Alternate Ending to Arc 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One of the original sad endings I planned out.

*******Reminder****** **This is only an alternate ending which I made a long time ago... meaning this isn't going to be a canon part of this fiction. I'll also be posting another alternate ending in which Nico dies instead.**

**Thalia: (Artemis' Throne)**

"Now lieutenant, you understand the punishment of loving a boy? Think of this everytime you choose to fall in love with one." Said Artemis sympathetically. Favonious came in behind her.

_Unforunately, he wasn't strong enough for love, as you can see. He had too much anger._ He started. _He wasn't good enough for you. He was weak and let anger empower him."_

Thalia glared at the pair. She didn't care what they were saying now. The gods had yet taken another boy away from her, and she wanted revenge. "Remember this Thalia..." Artemis said as she and Favonious begain to walk away.

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"You want to see anger?!" Thalia cried out as she pulled out the ambrosia from under Nico's photo. She gulped the ambrosia down, whole. The color returned to her face, and her wounds healed. She was full of energy and strength now.

She stood up , with electric sparks all around her body.

"I'll show you anger!" She challenged.

Thalia drew her daggers. Favonious and Artemis turned around just as they were pushed downward by the force of Thalia's electric current.

The pair was smashed downward back into the throne room. She ignored her fear of heights for once, ash she summoned wind to fly her down the throne room.

Thalia looked around the room. Favonious was no where to be seen. One down.

Thalia didn't care to keep track, she was now full of hatred. Hatred towards Artemis. She was the reason she had been leaving Nico, and the reason for her suppressed loneliness.

Artemis crawled on the floor coughing. Thalia charged at her with he dual-wielded daggers.

Artemis, being quick, was able to turn around and draw her own daggers.

She easily dodged Thalia, and sweep kicked her. Thalia fell on her back. She desperately tried to crawl to one of her daggers that she dropped. As she reached her hand out, Artemis threw an arrow which grazed her hand.

Artemis then leaped, both daggers raised to impale her. Thalia quickly activated the shield from her bracelet and blocked the latter.

Thalia grunted as she kicked Artemis away. She quickly stood up, to see Artemis charging at her with a spear: _MY collapsible spear!_ She thought.

Thalia quickly held up her shield as it stabbed through the metal plating. They both struggled for their weapons.

"So Thalia?" Artemis chided. "What brings you to kill the one you work for?" Her voice sounded more sinister as she talked.

"Something called..."Thalia struggled."LOVE!"

"HAHAHA!" Artemis laughed cruelly. "You'll soon learn that love for a boy, is-"

"-Something you'll never understand!" Thalia finished in triumph as she summoned the biggest bolt of lightning she could. "NOOOOOOOOO!" Artemis screamed as she was incinerated. The explosion destroyed the entire throne, leaving only debris and smashed rocks.

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Thalia crawled out of the debris and into the snow. She coughed desperate for air, as her strength began to sap. "I'm sorry Nico..." She said tearfully as she stared at the debris.

Devastated, she began to walk into the cold landscape, leading to nowhere...

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Thalia felt a sharp pain from her back and out of her stomach. She looked down to see an arrow tip shaped like a heart, impaling her. She gasped as she had no energy to scream in pain.

_Shall I give YOU a lesson about love as well?_ Said Favonious as she fell to the floor.

Thalia couldn't speak, as she was in shock. Favonious pointed an arrow at her heart as she lay sprawled on the floor. She tried to talk but she was in too much pain. She closed her eyes as a stabbing noise was heard.

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From Favonious' chest, stuck out a black stygian iron sword.

"I don't care about love..." Nico started, his face tight with effort, and anger. He gritted his teeth. "I care...about... HER!" He yelled dragging his sword through Favonious' back.

"AGHHHHH!" Favonious' scream echoed in the distance as he crumbled into dust.

"Thalia..." He said sweetly. She looked into his abyssal-black eyes, and managed a weak smile. Her head lolled back and everything turned black.

**Nico: (Aftermath of Artemis' Throne)**

If it weren't for the extra ambrosia Will had packed him, he would've died. Now, Thalia lay in front of him in the aftermath of _his_ battle, dead.

She was dead, because he let his anger get to him, causing him to lose his fight. And again, Thalia had to sacrifice herself for him. A wave of emptiness crowded him again. He felt like screaming and crying...but there was no time for him to mourn.

He just had to keep moving...yeah...run away from anything painful.

Thalia began to move. She stood up facing away from him.

"Thalia! You're alive..." Nico said with relief. She disturbingly pulled out the arrow from her stomach with ease. "It's okay...I'm here... _you're_ here." He said trying to console her.

"..." She didn't respond.

"Thalia?" He persisted.

Thalia turned to face Nico. Her clothes were ripped but she looked fine. He looked at her face, and to his horror, they were a glowing blood-red color. He gasped.

"What...what...what happened?" He stumbled for words. He was now full of fear.

Thalia charged at him, with her two daggers drawn. Nico straged to the side, and regarded his sword. "Thalia! What are you doing?!" He started. " It's me! Nico!" He shouted desperately. He knew it was hopeless, she was gone now. He had lost a love to a fate worse than death.

Thalia summoned a bolt of lighting towards Nico. He immediately summoned a stone to block the lightning force. "Thalia! Stop!" His voice croaked.

She responded by summoning wind to lift him into the air and hurled him through the busted debris. _He was tired of being thrown around._

He regained his balance as he stood back up. Thalia charged at him with a spear and shield with a medusa head design. Nico instantly went into defensive mode as their weapons clashed. He easily slashed her spear away.

Thalia retaliated by bashing him with her shield. She raised her spear again to stab Nico. He barely strafed away from her though.

With her spear stuck on the ground, he took the opportunity to lift his sword and slash her twice on the back. She screamed in pain, which broke Nico's heart. His eyes began to sting.

_NO_. He was tired of heartbreak...His grudges reformed inside him. "You know..." Nico started, dodging another attack from Thalia.

"I went through so much suffering..." She raised her spear again to attempt to slash him. He ducked away from it. "And it was all because of you!" He yelled.

Thalia drew her daggers, and shot electric towards Nico. The electric waves shocked Nico throughout his whole body and sent him flying into the snow.

He struggled to stand. "She...she...died for you..." He said shakily. Thalia sent a gust of wind flying at Nico, which he blocked by summoning a large obsidian rock.

"And yet...you still abandoned me! Right when I needed you!" Nico's voice was filled with pain. "So if you want to fight me...then FINE!" He released all his anger.

Thalia threw her daggers at Nico, which he easily countered by summoning two skulls to intercept. "I hated you anyways!" He yelled."You made me go through so much!" The grass beneath the snow wilted beneath his shoes. Thalia summoned another bolt of lightning.

Nico retaliated by summoning a wall of shadow to absorb it. "I hate you!" He yelled, full of rage. The earth bellow Thalia shifted as skeletons grabbed from down under.

The skeletons grabbed each of her limbs, and pinned her down. Thalia struggled and screamed in Favonious' voice. She seemed to be fighting her way out. "I...HATE...YOU!" Nico shouted with anger.

He called upon the earth to sink her down to her knees. "YOU HEAR ME?! You left me...!" his voice faultered.

A memory of Thalia flashed before his mind. Her electric-blue eyes stared at him sweetly as she said _'We live for each other.'_

Then another memory of her face in anguish before she left him, and face Orion. She sacraficed herself so that he could get away with the Athena Parthenos, and avoid suffering with her.

_Promise me Nico..._ Bianca's voice said.

The memories stopped flashing as he returned to his senses.

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"Thalia..."he said in sorrow. "I...I can't..." he broke down into violent sobs.

"I...I can't hurt you..." His voice cracked. "I just can't..."

He looked down at her now blood-red eyes.

"I see why you left for the Hunters now..." He lost all his focus. The skeletons released Thalia and the earthly fissures closed. The skeletons then faded away.

"You wanted to escape the pain..." His voice was now quiet and somber. "...The pain of losing someone you loved. You lost Luke, and you were scared and broken" Nico's tears started flowing down his eyes. "I know your pain...and I know how you felt now...and I guess it's too late...but if you can hear me.."

The possessed Thalia released herself from the ground. She then walked up to Nico, pointing her spear at him. She readied it so stab him.

"If you can hear me...I'm sorry..." He managed to say. He hung his head down, ready to die.

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Thalia's eyes were now red and blue, as if she had heterochromia. He could see that she wasn't truly gone yet. Thalia grabbed her head, dropping her weapons as her head began to ache violently. She squeezed her eyes shut as she screamed in anguish.

"...N...Nico...Hand me...your sword..." she managed to say in her own voice. "Th...Thalia? How?" Nico said, shocked.

"Agh!" Thalia said, trying to hold back Favonious. "He can only be destroyed...through me!"

"No! NO NO! I can't lose you again!" Nico yelled in denial. "I...Can't...kill you..."

Thalia met his eyes affectionately. "Nico...It's...it's okay." She reassured him. "Just hand me the sword...Do...you trust me?"

Nico hesitantly handed his sword, holding it by the sharp end. His hand bleeded as she pulled it from his grasp. "I do..." He said biting his lip.

Thalia held up the sword, and sunk the sword through her stomach. She howled in agony as Favonious' soul desintegrated inside of her. Red smoke-like substances came out of her mouth and her eyes were glowing bright red. An explosion that felt like a nuclear bomb, cracked Nico's lips and pushed him back several feet, along with all the snow surrounding them. His wounds reopened.

It was silent for a very long time.

Nico looked up at the aftermath to see Thalia laying there, coughing blood. The area around her was black and burned to ashes. He tried his best to sprint to her but he felt as fast as a glacier with all his wounds. He held her almost lifeless body in his arms.

"Thalia...?" he said looking into her eyes. He could feel his tears flowing donw his face, but he couldn't speak. These tears weren't violent sobs like he expected, but only a cry of silenced sadness.

"I...promised her...my friend... Bianca..." Thalia croaked. "I...Nico...the test...was supposed to kill me...so you would let go of your hatred..." she couldn't finish her words.

He tried desperately to keep her awake. To his relief her eyes reopened and looked at him with all her heart. "Nico...Bianca...Zoe...the others...don't let it happen again...please..." Nico nodded with sadness clear in his posture.

He already knew what she meant...all the people he had lost was indirectly caused by his hatred, his grudges. And every time he let his flaw get to him, something breaks down in his life. Now he understood Favonious' test...no...this was a lesson for him: this is what happens when he lets anger get to him. The thought pained him.

Thalia met his eyes one last time. "D...Did you _love_ me?"

"Yes...with all my heart." He said with pain clearly in his expression. Thalia smiled at him. He desperately reached into his pockets looking for ambrosia or anything...something to save her...but he had nothing of use.

"I love you too Nico...I wish I could've told you before...I'm sorry. At least, _I_ get to have a happy ending...I'll get to see my friends and family again...Bianca...Zoe...mother...and Luke..." she paused, with pain in her eyes. "Oh gods...You'll be...alone again...but without me. I'm sorry..." Her voice was fading out.

"Nico...you of all people... _deserve_ a happy ending." She moved hair away from his abyssal -black eyes, her hand shaking. She stared at the skies as it cleared, showing the dark blue night and a full moon. Tears began to flow down her face."Promise me...you'll...have a happy ending...don't...waste your life on hatred...promise me...you'll live... for me..." She said, coughing. Thalia gave him a kiss on the lips before her eyes closed one last time.

Nico buried his face in her shoulders as he let out all of his internal pain. He couldn't scream as much as he wanted to. He sobbed violently with anguish, on her body. "Thalia...no...I promised I would save you!" "You did..." she said struggling for a smile, which only lasted for a few seconds before she became lifeless.

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In front of Nico, a black cloud exploded for no apparent reason. He held onto Thalia, as if trying to protect her. "Stay back! Whatever you are! Stay away! You've hurt us enough!" He cursed. He was defenseless against whatever threat was coming next.

Out from the black cloud, came a man in a black toga, with wavy long hair and pale skin like his. It was Hades, his father.

"D...Dad...?" Nico looked up at Hades.

Hades stared at him with a sympathetic tone, as if he already knew. No words came from his mouth, as he stared at his son who was crying.

Nico struggled for words as he sniffed and sobbed. "Dad...please..."his voice cracked. "Take her there...take her to... the Isles of the Blessed...please, she deserves to be happy... she died for me...Please...take her there, at least until my time comes, so I see her...After..."He couldn't finish his words, but Hades already knew what he was saying.

Nico carried her lifeless body to Hades, gesturing for him to take her, in which Hades obliged. "I'm sorry too...my son..." Hades said giving him one last look of sympathy before he dissolved into the shadows.

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Nico began his trek off into the dark, snowy landscape of the unknown. He didn't know where he was going, or what he was going to do, but he would keep his promise to Bianca...to Thalia...

"I'll keep my promise..." he said to himself.

********THE END***********

**Credits Song:** **Love and Loss by Mattia Cupelli**

**Author's Note: I really recommend you listen to the credit song as it gives more emotion and matches the tone of the story, and I'm sure the soundtrack WILL make you cry.**


	12. Sneak peak of Arc 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is only a little preview of my next set of chapters.

**Nico:(unknown location again)**

Nico awoke to the sound of thunder outside of his cabin. It had been only a month ago that he had fought so hard for the right person: Thalia. He thought it was finally over; that he could finally be at peace with the girl he loved, but he was _dead_ wrong. He didn't know that Favonious' words was a huge warning to him. _'Love is no game! It is no flowery softness! It is hard work- a quest that never ends.'_

Since Nico was a son of Hades, falling in love was pretty much a death sentence, as tragedy followed him within any sense of happiness he may ever achieve. He stepped out of his coffin designed bed and took a glance at his picture with Thalia. He smiled as he remembered their first date at _Mcdonalds_. He could almost _feel_ the sparks from his first sky-kiss with her, as there were _literally_ sparks coming ; she was a daughter of Zeus.

Nico dressed up and finally decided to exit his cabin and check out whatever the noise was outside. He looked around his line of sight. No one was there. All the other campers were probably asleep during this time. It was raining very hard, and he couldn't tell if it was morning or night. It was clear that Zeus was angry.

The last thing that Nico saw before going unconcious was a flash of light...

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**Author's note:** **Okay so that was obviously a part of the next set of chapters I'm going to be working on. I had planned out thanks to Thalico fan 1123 for contributing an idea. It was actually a pretty nice idea, so thank you for that j. henderson. Although I'd like to warn you guys that I may be a bit slower than usual as my finals are coming up and I need to focus on school a bit more. I'll still be working on this, as this is pretty much my life now. :) so yeah, peace. May death and sky stay together. THALICO WILL LIVE ON!**


	13. Thalico Headcanons. (This is a comic relief filler chapter)

**THALICO headcanons:**

**Author's note:** **here's some thalico headcanons and one none-thalico headcanon for for you lovely readers. I felt like making this just because i felt bad that i might not be able to write some more chapters during my finals next week for you wonderful supporters :( so...here we go... also...I don't OWN ANY CHARACTERS OR ANY WRITINGS OF RICK RIORDAN's I ALSO DON'T OWN** **ALL** **THE HEADCANONS.**

**Headcanon 1**

It was long after the war when Nico had gotten together with Thalia. They strolled around the camp holding hands with people giving them occasional confused looks. Most either brushed it off or thought, "Didn't the word get out that he liked Percy or something?" or "Wasn't she a huntress or something?" That was then when they walked by the most awkward pair they ever wanted to walk by: Percy and Annabeth. Percy took a look at the couple.

**Percy:** *looking even more confused than when Nico admitted his crush to him.* Wait...you...huh?

**Annabeth:** Drop it seaweed brain...please.

**Percy:** but-

**Annabeth:** No percy. ugh...I already know what you're thinking about...and I say DROP it. Nico confuses me too, I don't think we'll ever be able to figure him out-

**Percy:** Hey! Nico! I thought blue wasn't your type!

**Nico:** Not blue...just...you... *Thalia high-fives him, both laughing* Sparky...if you could give us some space...

**Thalia:** say no more...*walks away, still watching from afar*

**Percy:** pssshhh...whatever...I still think I would've been a better match.

**Annabeth:** I disagree...I think they make a good match if you ask me...

**Percy:** wait so...you liked...

**Nico:** yeah...

**Percy:** but you also liked... _her?_

**Nico: ** *nods*

**Annabeth : **good job Nico... I say you scored with a ten if you ask me *winks* *gives him another high-five*

**Nico:** Cya guys around... *walks back to Thalia*

**Percy:** OH so SHE's your type? I SEE HOW IT IS! Is _my_ blue _NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU?_ WHATEVER! MY BLUE IS PRETTIER ANYWA-

**Thalia:** *yelling from far away* YOUR EYES ARE GREEN! SO SHUT UP!

**Percy:** *gasp*

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**Headcanon 2**

"Nico secretly liked Thalia and was thankful that he at least didn't have to admit THAT crush to Jason, when fighting Cupid. As a young kid, he admired her spiky black hair, her death-to-barbie t-shirt, her all-goth look. He even grew up following after her, he developed his own style based off of her, eventually becoming gothic as well. Sadly, he didn't want to say anything, not only because it would've been twice as embarrassing, but he may poison his friendship with Jason, Artemis would've killed him, and Thalia certainly wouldn't take to this news too kindly, so he was forced to forget his crush and it instead turned his love for her, into a bitter hatred towards the Hunters, for yet, taking another important person from him."

**Headcanon 3**

Leo always thought that being the seventh-wheel would mean he would be the only one to die, and that he would never find a place amongst the seven. Little did he know after the war, that he was dead wrong about it. Being the seventh wheel actually meant that he was the only one who would survive. They had all died for him, they had all found their 'place' to sacrafice themself, so he could fulfill his destiny as the seventh wheel and defeat Gaea. Although he came back a hero to the camps, he was left sad at the thought that he would never see his REAL friends again. He knew they were dead. Thankfully Nico survived to commemorate their burial rights, but it wasn't enough to fill the void. ' _Finding a place amongst the seven'_ would mean that he'll die along with them. But since he never found his place, he was the only one to survive.

**Headcanon 4**

The reason Nico and Thalia had never been around each other often during the PJO series was because Percy knew that they would always get into arguments, being children of the big three and all. One day after the 1st giant war when Percy wasn't around they engaged in another argument, which as usual, concluded to random pointless insulting.

Thalia: "CORPSE BREATH!"

Nico: "PINECONE FACE"

Thalia: "BETTER THAN LOOKING LIKE A FRIGGIN ZOMBIE...ZOMBIE FACE!"

Nico:"EMO!"

Thalia: "OH YOU'RE ONE TO TALK IN YOUR ALL BLACK AND SURPRISINGLY HOT GHOSTLOOKING FACE."

Nico: "PRETTY EYES!"

Thalia: "Wait...wah...?"

Nico then blushed and accidently shadow-traveled to china.

**Author's note: hope this at least made you laugh/cry/feel warm inside. it's the least i could do for you awesome supporters. Sorry for being a slow updater :(**

 


	14. Arc 2 Chapter 1: Why?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: I myself, would like this to be perceived as a separate story since i liked how i ended it originally. BUTT, (big Butt) i put this next arc, as part of this story (two sides of nico di angelo) so that other readers who may want a continuation can perceive it as a sequel. It's basically my way of...making a sequel, but not making a sequel, you understand what i mean? yah? okay...good boy/girl.

* * *

 

**Nico:(unknown location again)**

Nico awoke to the sound of thunder outside of his cabin. It had been only a month ago that he had fought so hard for the right person: Thalia. He thought it was finally over; that he could finally be at peace with the girl he loved, but he was _dead_ wrong. He didn't know that Favonious' words was a huge warning to him. _'Love is no game! It is no flowery softness! It is hard work- a quest that never ends.'_ Which it now was...

A never ending quest.

Since Nico was a son of Hades, falling in love was pretty much a death sentence, as tragedy followed him within any sense of happiness he may ever achieve. He stepped out of his coffin designed bed and took a glance at his picture with Thalia. He smiled as he remembered their first date at _Mcdonalds_. He could almost _feel_ the sparks from his first sky-kiss with her, as there were _literally_ sparks coming ; she was a daughter of Zeus.

Nico dressed up and finally decided to exit his cabin and check out whatever the noise was outside. He looked around his line of sight. No one was there. All the other campers were probably asleep during this time. It was raining very hard, and he couldn't tell if it was morning or night. It was clear that Zeus was angry.

The last thing that Nico saw before going unconcious was a flash of light...

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**Thalia Grace (Zeus' Cabin)**

Thalia didn't know if she could trust anyone anymore. Not even her own father, nor her father's son. Ares. How ridiculous it was that she couldn't even trust her divine side of her family.

She had once foolishly called Zeus her 'Family.' As it seems, she had been deceived by her "Family." She couldn't believe something so hurtful, so...cruel, as to being betrayed by her own father.

She could believe many things, like having to live alone, isolated from her friends, losing her family, falling in love with a son of Hades, who probably hated her, but being betrayed by father, her divine guidance, her guardian, that was a fate crueler than death.

It was as if she had lost everyone again. The way she felt when she lost Luke...lost Nico...

Thalia wanted to release her anger and let loose electricity around her entire body. She wanted to release her inner monster and destroy anything she saw at sight, like the way she had when she fought Artemis.

Sadly, she couldn't do anything but lay down in her paralysis. She hated being unconcious so much.

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"Lieutenant! Lieutenant! We need you right now! It's urgent!" A girl's voice came, associated with loud knocking that could've woken up Gaea a third time.

Thalia was a sky kid and all, but even she; a daughter of Zeus, couldn't stand the sore sight of sudden bright light spraying at her eyes from within her dark room. She understood now, why Nico had his cabin built so dark, and... _antisun-like_.

The girl outside continued to knock on the door of the Zeus cabin. Thalia felt extremely annoyed at the insipid pounding noise.

She wondered what a Hunter could possibly want _today._ She _really,_ didn't want to deal with Hunter duties on the _only_ days she got to be at Camp Half-Blood.

She sat up from her studying table. Her work of fiction, still waiting to be continued.

On the desk, stood a picture of her and Nico's 'date' at Mcdonalds. Nico was grinning mischieviously, while Thalia's face cringed from brain-freeze at her first sip of a Mcflurry shake.

Thalia quickly put on her usual attire with the leather jacket, death to barbie t-shirt, ripped black jeans, and lots of chain-like accessories. And who could forget: a few deadly weapons in her pockets. (Her collapsable spear, medusa shield bracelet, and her bow.)

You never know when a monster may be disguised as a little girl.

The knocking grew louder and more irritating. "Lieutenant! Lieutenant! It's urgent!" The Hunter whined.

Thalia finally decided to open the door. "What's the sitch private...uhh..." She stumbled for words, as she didn't recognize this Hunter.

This Hunter, or who she assumed was a hunter, wore a Silver parka jacket, gray camo pants, a lower facemask, and the hood of her jacket. Her eye color seemed to be filled with flames. Through her lower facemask, she seemed to have a maniacal grin. Something seemed familiar about her...

Thalia stared intently at the girl, only to realize that it was Ares, the god of war, and the son of her godly father.

Before she could open her mouth, an arrow sank into her knee. She winced at the pain, only to be hit on the neck by a dart only seconds after. Everything was blurry as she lost control of her body, and fell straight to the floor.

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The sudden change of lighting was enough to trigger Thalia out of her unconciousness. Although she couldn't move her body nor open her eyes, she could vaguely hear some muffled voices.

Despite being muffled, the voices were unmistakable. The gruff, adrenaline filled voice, but with a twinge of insanity in them. It was Ares, her Half brother. She could only make out a few words of his mumbling. "Zeus...child of hades...your daughter...leave...alone..." Those weren't all the words he had said, but those were the only ones she could make out of her half-conciousness. Although, those few words were enough for her to figure out what this abduction had been about. It was about Nico.

In her barely concious state Thalia was still able to muster up her angry thoughts. She felt betrayed yet again, but by her own father which only made it so much worse. Why couldn't he just let her love who she wanted to? Better yet, why did he lie about it being okay? She felt the sparks in her body static through all her veins and skin as she jolted back to life. Her eyes flashed open as she lunged at Zeus whose response was interrupted.

Thalia was able to pin him down, due to the latter being still in human form. Realizing what she had done, she figured that pure will power wouldn't be a smart way to incapacitate Zeus. She immediately snatched his Lightning Bolt which was slung to his back: the most powerful weapon in greek myth history.

"Father! WHY are you doing this?" she said with fear and anger in her voice. Zeus merely responded with a smirk and inhaled. Ares just watched with a twinge of hesistancy, as if he were deciding if what Zeus was doing was right or not. Zeus exhaled, blowing with such force that Thalia flew through the air and hit a wall. He raised his hand out and the lightning bolt flew back into his grasp.

"Good morning to you too my beloved daughter. It is unwise to attack the one who guides you." He said humbly.

" _GUIDES_ ME? What kind of guidance could you _possibly_ bring by abducting me and banning me from the one I love?" She said with rebelliousness in her tone.

"My child-"

"Don't call me that! You don't deserve to! Not after leaving me helpless my WHOLE life!" Thalia spat. Zeus simply ignored her demand.

"Allow me to explain. I have discussed this with Aphrodite and decided that these were necessary steps, to consider your...'love story'. Come, walk with me." Zeus said gesturing for her to follow. Ares simply leaned against a wall as if he were trying to remain distant from the whole situation. He had a twinge of guilt in his face, as if he were forced into abducting her. Despite the guilty look, his lust for battle overlapped his expressions. He twitched his fingers as if eager to bust out his weapons and re enact a scene from Rambo.

Thalia calmed down and let out a sigh. She was smart enough to know when she could or couldn't fight her way out. "Okay...I'll listen...'father'..." She said suspiciously.

"Relax my child, YOU will not be harmed. So long as you don't try anything like that again. This is to ensure your safety and make sure you two really are ready." Zeus said grimly.

Thalia didn't like the feeling she got from his words. She was afraid of what was to come of his explanation...

 


	15. Arc 2 Chapter 2: Prepare to Fight

**Thalia Grace (Mount Olympus)**

Thalia wondered if her feet were alive. She had been following Zeus around for a centuries in silence. She wouldn't be surprised if this was a punishment of her father's and she had been walking around for centuries.

He never once turned to face her, which was probably a good thing, as he would've blasted her into Hunter barbeque if he realized she was training her imaginary weapons at his back.

It took Thalia quite a while to realize she was on Mount Olympus. It was no wonder why it was so beautiful, and mountainous-like. She was astonished at the sight of the horizons below her. Many mountains and clouds spread around the view of the blue sky.

Normally, she would be freaking out at such heights, but since her first kiss with Nico, she had associated the sky with him. Any time she went at a fearful height, she would just think of how she felt being with Nico, and suddenly the fear didn't mean anything.

Thalia was brought out of her day dreaming trance as Zeus began to speak. She had almost forgotten that she was in reality. Well...Mythological reality at least. She and Zeus were in the peak of Mount Olympus, in a colloseum made of earthly stones. How had she not noticed?

"My daughter, I have brought you up here to discuss that Son of Hades whom you're so fond of..." He started. She blushed, but then quickly brushed it aside.

"Nico-"

"-DO NOT, try to defend him. How naive are you to not realize that what you're doing with him is a danger to the balance of powers? He is the son of my brother, one of us big three. And the worst of the three..." He said disgusted by his insinuation towards Hades.

"Father! I don't care _what_ you have against Hades. Nico IS NOT his father. Sure, he's a bit...intimidating...but he's a sweet boy, he cares about me! Me and all of them he considers a friend!" Thalia defended.

"This is NOT ABOUT HADES!" Zeus yelled, with sparks seeping out of his eyes. He quickly forced himself to calm down. "This, is simply about YOUR safety, and the stability of the gods."

"Oh. I see. So this, is about YOU." Thalia chided. "I'll take no part in this then, I don't care what you think." She itched for her collapsible spear.

"Sweety, don't damage your pretty little face by doing that." Came a motherly voice from atop of a distant seat in the collosseum. Thalia suddenly didn't feel like fighting Zeus. It was Aphrodite, wearing a skull t-shirt with an aviator's jacket, black jeans and many dark accesories. Her hair was a spiky mess, and her eyes varied with unknown colors, constantly changing.

" _You're_ Lady Aphrodite?" Thalia asked, shocked at her bizarre appearance.

"About what you're seeing...As the goddess of beauty, I only appear as what you perceive as beautiful." she explained. Thalia took a moment to process the thought. She then blushed.

"I'll let _her_ explain since you cannot keep calm around _your own father._ " Zeus said as he approached a chair down on the other side of the collosseum.

Thalia rubbed her eyes in frustration. "Come now darling, take a seat with me. We'll see if I _can't_ explain to you the dangers of that boy." She gestured to the seat right next to her. She suddenly felt comfortable enough to trust her. She obliged.

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"You see Thalia," She began. "I have been watching the romantic aspects of your life, the days with that Luke boy, the way you've coped. I can see that any romance YOU may ever have, will only lead to tragedy. Much less to add, the fact that the one you care for is a bloodline with _Hades._.. Makes for a nice romance novel no?" She gazed into the sky with awe.

"Is this all just...some story to you?" Thalia asked, offended. "Anyway, that's really creepy. Why me? And Why are you telling me this?"

"I am the goddess of romance and beauty, I read...I mean, I watch over all the romantic stories in the world. Not a single one I haven't read, so don't you think that I would eventually stumble over yours, Hunter?" She said, as if to insinuate something.

"Okay...but that still doesn't answer my question, WHY ME?" Thalia demanded.

Aphrodite face palmed herself as if it was a stupid question. "Do you think I would miss a good story of starcrossed lovers? COME ON! A story about a son of _Hades ,_ who lost his family, falls in love with a girl who also lost as much as he. Not to mention... their parents hate each other. It's just ASKING for a tragedy; one of the most powerful kind of romances."

What Aphrodite said, had triggered a mixed range of emotions inside of her. She had a familiar melancholy brought back to her at the mention of losing her family. Then there was the sorrow she felt for Nico never getting accepted by others for being a son of Hades. Then the worry she felt about their parents being children of the big three. And last but definitely the worst; She had just been told that her love life will not have a happy ending. She may as well have just poured acid down her ears. She didn't need another person to remind her of the bleak outcome woven into her love life.

Aphrodite seemed to notice the heartbreak in Thalia's eyes, as her look of anticipation turned into a sympathetic gaze. She put a comforting hand on her shoulder as Thalia buried her face into her hands. "Look, I'm sorry to tell you this, but what your father is trying to say, is that he's trying to protect you from feeling that way again. He feels it's best you stay away from love, much less, a boy who has such burdens as being a son of Hades." She said, trying to get her point across.

"PROTECTING ME?! How is this _protecting_ me? Why can't I just be happy with _him?_ What is so wrong with that?!" Thalia pleaded.

"Your father, Ares, and I have discussed the situation, and came to a conclusion that this would cause a stir in the balance of power." Aphrodite explained. "Two children of the Big three getting together, would be a death sentence for the excluded latter of the three. THAT, is why your father believes you should just let him go."

 _But we've been through so much, our promises, our unconditional bond..._ Thalia wanted to say, but she couldn't, due to being burdened with emotions.

"But...lady Aphrodite..." Her voice cracked, as she tried hard to hold back her tears. "Please...I can't have it happen again...losing someone I love, AGAIN, and being left alone, with no family, trapped with a bunch of whiny Hunters who don't even know that deep inside I'm still a person. I can't...I just...can't. please!" For once in her life, Thalia felt helpless.

"That's why I'm here. To make sure this love story...well...hopefully, turns out okay." Aphrodite smiled reassuringly. "Now, go back to your father, he'll explain the rest." She gestured the somber Thalia towards Zeus who was still sitting on the throne of the Colosseum.

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Thalia, walked over to Zeus, who seemed aggravated. He seemed to be thinking really hard, looking even more stressed and anxious than usual. She looked at him worriedly. "Father, I understand now...just...tell me, what's going to happen... what are you planning to do?" She had minor panic in her voice.

Zeus simply sighed, "We're going to test just how dangerous this...son of Hades is...If he's powerful enough to defeat a god, then we cannot allow _this_ between you and him." He said with slight sorrow in his voice.

"What...fath-...dad...What do you mean, _test how dangerous he is?_ Defeat a god? You aren't making any sense right now!" Thalia was definitely panicking now.

Thalia looked glanced at the Colosseum, which gave her a heart-dropping sight. Nico was laying down inside of a wind cage in the middle of the fighting arena, his eyes closed. His eyes, twitched, then slowly opened. He scanned the area around him, and widened his abyssal-black eyes at her, astounded and confused.

"Dad! DAD! _What are you doing?!"_ Zeus wriggled his fingers, and the air cage around Nico dissolved.

"I'm sorry my child, but this must be done, we cannot risk another godly conflict, even if it means losing the little respect you have for me." Zeus looked her in the eyes, with guilt shrouding it.

Thalia rushed for Zeus' lightning bolt, but he retorted by summoning wind spirits to ensnare her to a seat of the Colosseum. Thalia wanted to scream to Nico to run, but as always, there was something stopping her from talking. The wind spirits covered her mouth like duct tape.

"Ares! Jump into the arena! Prepare for a DUEL TO THE DEATH!" Zeus demanded.

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	16. Arc 2 Chapter 3: What just happened?

**Nico: (...Colosseum?)**

Nico always woke up in the weirdest places.

Back in his days of transporting the Athena Partehnos, he had woken up in, Puerto Rico, Barrachina, many other weird places, and even China. But he never expected to wake up to a near-death experience.

As a child of Hades, he thought near-death experiences would be the other way around: Death has a near-Nico experience. Unfortunately, that inside joke wasn't true.

He woke up to find himself in a cage made of visible wind. If it were smaller he would've had a relapse of his days wasting away in the jar. He was utterly confused as to where he was now.

Suddenly, the wind cage around him dissolved. He looked around to see that he was inside of a stoned Colosseum, but where? Everything was empty, as he scanned his surroundings. All the chairs were empty. He scouted his eyes long enough to have his attention caught by a girl who summoned skeletal butterflies in his stomach. Thalia Grace.

Nico's heart dropped as he took a glance at her worried looking expression. She looked at him as if he were about to die. Which of course he now knew after he noticed her father, Zeus, with bloodlust in his eyes as Thalia begged him for something. Although it was unaudible, he could put the pieces together and guess what happened: Zeus hates black and blue.

Nico was frustrated. He should've known something seemed off when he and Hades 'approved' of them being together. Zeus was clearly faking his smile and he _knew_ it. He felt betrayed yet again, but this time, his feelings only morphed into anger. Nico took a step forward, but stopped when Thalia suddenly moved.

Thalia was dashing for something bright and glowing on Zeus' back: His lightning bolt. A clever target considering it was his source of power. Thalia was always smart when it came to combat, one of the many reasons he liked her. Unfortunatey, her wits weren't enough, Zeus summoned two wind spirits to incapacitate her, binding her to a chair. Nico stood still panicking, as he was too enshocked to do anything.

Zeus put on his usual angry face as he sat down on a the throne of the colosseum. _Disgusting._ He thought. Nico itched to charge at him, but instead, he pathetically flinched when Zeus shouted suddenly.

"Ares! Jump into the arena! Prepare for a _Duel to the Death."_

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It was rather sad that he was less frightened by his opponent being the god of war, than the the father of his significant other.

In a puff of smoke, appeared Ares, wearing black jeans, combat boots, a leather duster, and muscle shirt with a bulletproof vest (his shield in disguise) and an iron padlock necklace. He wore red tinted wraparound sunglasses to cover his flame-filled eye sockets. A ring of fire engulfed him, then extinguished, revealing him in gold greek battle armor a gold medhelm with a red mohawk and a red cape. The visor of his helmet was pitch-black, revealing nothing except his firey eyes, but he could tell that he was grinning like a madman who enjoyed violence.

Nico twisted his skull ring, pushing aside his fear. _So be it._ He challenged in his head. He drew his sword at the same time as Ares drew his spear and shield. Without hesitation, they both charged at each other.

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A big puff of white cloud exploded in between them, pushing both backwards. The cloud dissipated, and out came Hera. The wife of Zeus, and Goddess of Family and Marriage.

"H...Hera?!" Nico murmured. Who's next? Dionysus? He realized he didn't want to finish that thought.

"...Mother?" Ares said worriedly. She ignored the latter and glared at Zeus. "Zeus! My husband, what in the skies are you doing exactly?!"

Ares and Nico exchanged a look of confusion, and then continued paying attention to Hera and Zeus.

"Hera! Darn IT! THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT TIME FOR IT!" Zeus yelled back. "It is unwise to trust what _you_ deemed as 'right time' considering the many times you've-" Hera sighed in frustration.

"Never mind!" She scolded at Ares. "Just what exactly are _you_ doing son?"

"I'm...this is...actually um-" Ares, quickly sheathed his weapons away as if trying to hide them. "YOU KNOW YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO USE YOUR POWERS ON MORTALS WITHOUT CONSULTING THE REST OF THE GODS!" Hera turned red with anger. "I...I heard duel to the death, and dueling, so I figured there would be some violence. Did I mention a duel to the death?" Ares said with a mad smile on his face.

"Just like my son, _ALWAYS_ tempted to fight whenever given the chance." Hera sighed with disgust. She then turned her attention back to Zeus. "A DUEL TO THE DEATH?! Really now?! That's just like you Zeus. No logic at all. YOU, just want Nico to die because he is a son of your rival. Just how exactly are you expecting any solutions out of this. Where's the upside to this for the boy? For the girl?" She seemed to already know what was going on, as she had acknowledged Nico and Thalia.

Thalia sighed with relief under her wind-taped mouth. She had an expression that said, _I know right?_

"Now...now, Hera, sweety, _I'm_ here, everything will be fine." Aphrodite said out of nowhere. It took Nico until now to realize that she was still there. "Just how exactly is that reassuring? You're one who simply enjoys tragic love stories..." Zeus, face palmed himself in frustration.

"Can WE NOT DO THIS RIGHT NOW? This is an important experiment that we need to know. If we don't do this, we could risk chaos in the entire olympian world. We must determine..." Zeus' expression changed as if finally realizing something. He sighed, then snapped his fingers. Hera, and Aphrodite were engulfed in winds and teleported to somewhere that Nico had no idea of. At least they were gone now. What had that been about?

Ares looked up at Zeus, with his hands gestured as if to say _What the Hades?_ "So...do I still get to kill him?!" Ares yelled.

_Correction...Do_ _ **I**_ , _get to kill_ _ **you?**_ Nico thought.

"NO! Can you stop thinking about violence for just one second?!" Zeus started. "It's come to my attention, that there's a flaw in my rulings..."

"Hurry up and spit it out, so I can kill you for even touching _her_." Nico threatened. "Good...if you can kill a god...that would make this test MUCH quicker. Anyways, this is no longer a duel to the death, just a regular duel. So yes...go ahead and kill a god, see what happens. Now continue!" Zeus gestured his hand to signal a time-in.

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_Test much quicker? Kill a god and see what happens?_ Nico felt like that was a warning, for something, but he didn't care. The gods always warned him, and yet every time, they had only made his life worse. They had isolated his father, let his sister die by 'fate', irresponsibly let the doors of death open, almost costing him his sanity, and now, they were going to take away another aspect of happiness in his life: The one he cares most for.

He _had_ to get to Thalia, no matter what stands in the way. He faced Ares, and drew his sword.

"Kill the gods you say? I've been waiting for so long to do that..."


	17. Arc 2 Chapter 4: We Live for Each Other

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Letter of Recommendation: If you're a reader who likes to add music to give yourself a cinematic feeling, then I recommend you adding some intense, climatic, fighting fitting music while reading this, for this will be mostly a fighting chapter. Maybe a song like the attack on titan fight theme? Or the "Im Goblin" soundtrack from the Amazing Spiderman. Idk it's up to the reader.
> 
> Enjoy...

**Thalia Grace (Colosseum)**

Any hope that Thalia had of finding her happy ending, was crushed when Aphrodite was teleported away by the one and only: Zeus. Of course it would be him yet again, who takes away any hopes she might have. All she could do now was watch and hope that Nico wouldn't let his anger get to him.

Nico and Ares drew their weapons. They both simultaneously charged towards each other from opposite sides of the arena. A black, shadow-like aura coming from Nico's sword surrounded his trail as if it were sucking the light out of every spot he stepped on, as he sprinted forward. Ares' trail wasn't any less intimidating, as he had an aura of fire surrounding him like a giant ring.

Their weapons clashed together, sparking fire and black energy with every touch. Nico was surprisingly, able to keep up with the god of war. Then again, he had had his fair share of fighting with powerful things.

Ares, didn't seem to be putting much effort. Despite his demonic speed, he didn't even seem to be breathing. He gave a sinister smile with each firey slash. He paused, then began spinning his spear infront of him like a helicopter propeller, sparking the stoned ground as he marched forward towards Nico. The death trap made his sword look pathetic.

Nico backed away slowly, trying to avoid the menacing blade. He kept strafing left and right, trying to look for an opening. Ares seemed to be trying to flank him into a corner. Nico was hopefully, smarter than that. He positioned his left hand at the ground and summoned small chunks of sharp rocks, and launched them at the god, hoping that would intercept the spinning death trap. Unfortunately, anything he threw got deflected by the spear.

Nico took a risk and dashed forward, successfully stopping the spear with his sword. It wasn't enough though, as Ares bashed him with his shield, sending him flying back ten feet. He crawled desperately for his sword, but he wasn't fast enough. Ares launched at him like a flying spear missile.

Nico barely dodged him, rolling to the side. The ground cracked, creating a mini earthquake where Ares' spear stabbed. Ares gritted his teeth in frustration. "ENOUGH! No more childish weapons!" He reached into his armor and pulled out a grenade of greek fire. He chucked it at Nico.

Nico then summoned a stump of rock to ricochete the grenade back at Ares, exploding and sending him several feet backwards. Nico then ran for Ares' spear which was still stuck on the ground. He tried to pull it out but only managed to strain himself, as it was too heavy.

Ares stood up regaining his balance, then threw his shield like a flying saucer. Nico dived out of the way, as the shield lodged into the wall of the colosseum. He quickly stood up and successfully retrieved his sword. He then charged at Ares once again.

He began to charge at Nico as well, but fell forward when a skeleton's arm launched out of the ground and grappled onto his foot.

Thalia, got her hopes up too easily. Nico jumped forward to slash his sword onto Ares, which he quickly blocked with his gauntlet.

Ares, crushed the skeleton with his foot, and then picked Nico up by the sword, and threw him into a wall of the colosseum. Ares laughed maniacally, as he retrieved his spear, and began slashing flying waves of fire at Nico. "You HAVE NOTHING AGAINST ME SON OF HADES!"

All Nico could do in retaliation, was summon mini barricades of bones to intercept each wave. Ares kept whipping his spear back and forth like a firey whip, shooting out flame missiles. Frustrated, he looked Ares in the eyes. "You...have NO IDEA...what IM capable of..."

Nico yelled with effort. He closed his eyes as he focused and summoned the earth to swallow Ares down to waist level. Then with the rest of his strength, made another gesture to summon a cage of bones to encase Ares.

Ares, struggled to break out of the cage, as it kept reforming after every blow he made. "NO! YOU SHALL... NOT...ESCAPE...MY WAVE OF DESTRUTUCTION! I AM...THE GOD OF WAR!" Nico smiled, which wasn't really a rare sight since Thalia had kissed him in the sky last summer. "Who are you now?" Nico said with a quiet, but sinister voice. He sighed with relief, as he fell to the floor. He lay down and caught up with his breath.

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 _No..._ Thalia thought in her head, as she noticed the smirk under Zeus' beard. She muffled under her restraints. "Don't worry, the fight isn't over..." Zeus whispered sinisterly.

The boned cage of Ares exploded, bringing Nico's attention back. He jumped back to his feet, and redrew his sword. The debris of the bones simply burned into ashes.

After the explosion cleared, it revealed Ares, still standing. He made a look of satisfaction, as if he found his victim. Nico ran at him. Ares then stomped his foot on the ground, cracking it in the process, and sending a trail of explosions towards his direction. And upwards Nico went. He landed with a thud.

"HAHAHA! PATHETIC! IS THAT ALL THAT HIDES WITHIN THE DARK, SON OF HADES?! YES?" Ares chided. Ares retrieved his spear and shield. As Nico struggled to stand up. He hung his head down low, his hair covering his eyes. Thalia couldn't tell what his expression was.

"YOURE THE ONE WHO ESCAPED TARTARUS?! HAHAHA!"

No response from Nico.

"How shameful, no wonder, you're father hides underground! You're a weak failure, just like him. You failed him."

Still no response.

"You've failed the one you love."

Nico glared at Ares, making the latter flinch. Thalia could read his expression now.

His grudges got to him.

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The air temperature dropped below zero. Thalia could hear his unspoken challenge. _The darkness is my birthright._

Ares, fearfully threw a grenade of greek fire at him. The grenade exploded, only to clear, and reveal that Nico had dissapeared, into the shadows.

He appeared behind Ares. "Boo." Nico taunted. Ares panicked and slashed behind him, only to have Nico duck and sweep kick the latter to the floor. A trick he learned from his encounter with Artemis.

Ares, yelled in frustration, and threw his spear in Nico's direction. He simply dissolved into the shadow of the spear. Ares stood up. "WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Nico appeared out of Ares' own shadow, and gave him a slash across the chest. He bleeded gold. "AGH!" The god of war yelled in pain. He tried to retaliate. He snapped his fingers and the ground around them exploded, sending a rain of debris towards Nico. He was quicker than that, Nico dissolved into the shadows of the debris.

After the debris landed, Nico appeared again under the shadow of Ares' cape. Nico slashed him again, across his back. Ares grunted in pain again. He threw his shield at Nico, which he easily knee slid under and phased under its shadow in mid-air. Frustrated, Ares ripped off his cape; the source of the shadows.

He was smart enough to know what Nico's source of power was, but it wasn't enough. Nico was still able to appear behind Ares' body's shadow. He gave Ares another slash across the chest.

Nico repeated this technique several times until the god was covered in cuts, ironically, giving him scars larger than the ones on his own face. Ares fell to the floor, in pain. Nico smiled with victory.

Nico faced Zeus who was still sitting on the throne with a smirk. He pointed his sword at him ."Looks like you're next, Lord of the Skies." He trudged over towards Zeus' direction.

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"Hmmm...a tempting offer, but don't remain so naive...IM not allowed to kill you myself...but HE is..." Zeus said with threat in his voice.

"Who?" Nico arched his eyebrows. An arrow sunk into his shoulder. He winced, and then a glowing chariot suddenly crashed behind him, sending him flying several feet upon impact.

The chariot dissappeared, revealing the rider to be Apollo, the god of the sun and master of swords and bows. He was definently as handsome as he was last time, but he looked different. There was a sense of madness and desperation in his eyes. As if he had been isolated in jail for a long time. Which of course he had, he was blamed for the causes of the war with Gaea.

Nico stood up, and looked Apollo in the eyes. "You again. You've come to kill me as well? So be it, I'll fight anything before I let you have her."

"Unfortunately, I WILL have her. All I have to do...is kill you...and I'm free..." Apollo laughed almost like he was delusional. Maybe he was.

"What do you mean? Why are you doing this? " Nico replied.

"Father was merciful enough to let me be free from my punishment, If I participate in a simple test." He said, with madness in his voice. Thalia was sure he had gone insane from whatever punishment her father had given him. "I kill you, and I'm free to go, and I get to have HER!" he turned to wink at Thalia, which made her want to barf. He suddenly didn't seem so 'hot' anymore. "Sorry friend, it's either you or me. You broke Will's heart, and he was MY SON. So I decided...you... " He laughed.

Broke _his_ heart? What did that mean? Thalia was confused, but she didn't have time to process the information. She went back to observing the arena.

Apollo pointed his hand at the injured Ares, and slowly the cuts on his body, healed, leaving only scars.

Ares and Apollo both laughed sinisterly. It would've looked like two drunks being silly if they weren't about to kill Nico. Ares drew his spear and shield, while Apollo just drew his bow and arrow. The pair ALMOST resembled Favonious and Artemis.

Nico drew his stygian sword. He gestured his hand as if to say,

_Okay so be it. Bring it on._

Thalia was a bit worried at how Nico seemed to think he was invincible. Coupled with the fact that he was angry, the ending to this fight didn't seem to be very hopeful.

Nico lay his hand on the ground as if he were trying to phase into the shadows again. "Nice try! But it won't work this time!" Ares grinned madly like he had in the begining of the fight. He snapped his fingers and explosives set off all around the arena, in a circle. The trio was then surrounded in a ring of fire. The fire was so bright that the whole Colosseum was like a dim light bulb. "No shadows for you..." Apollo chided.

"Okay...so that's how you want to play it. What's wrong? Afraid of the dark?" Nico taunted back.

"We'll settle this the old fashion way...the way of war." Ares smiled sinisterly.

Nico bravely charged between the two. Something a Hunter of Artemis wouldn't even be brave enough to do. They engaged in a fight of clashing and sparking metal.

Nico kicked Apollo who wasn't ready due to only wielding a bow, and then blocked Ares' spear. Ares attempted to bash him but he immediately stafed to the side. Apollo drew his own sword, and joined in the fight. Nico struggled to block their attacks due to both being master swordsmen, but managed to keep up, despite being in between the two.

From Thalia's view it looked like Nico was flailing his sword left and right between the duo, but it was obvious that he was defending himself from their viciously fast moves.

Ares began to windmill his spear again, but Nico immediately stopped him with his sword. Ares was going to bash him again, but Nico twirled in a one eighty and managed a slash at Apollo's left arm, disarming him. Nico sweep kicked him to the floor. The move left Nico in a crouching position, vulnerable to any attacks.

Ares slashed downwards with his spear towards Nico, which he barely had time to block with his sword. Their weapons were now locked, and it was a matter of physical strength.

Unfortunately for Nico, he was fighting the god of war, who had ALOT more strength than Artemis. The fire around them expanded, as they both pushed with all their effort.

Thalia could see the anger in his eyes, as he suddenly began to gain the upper hand. His hate was empowering him, which made Thalia worry for him. His hate made him avoid her for so long. His hate made him lose his battle with Favonious and Artemis. And now, his hate had brought his guard down.

Nico's eyes widened as he realized that he was letting his fatal flaw get to him again. Unfortunately, he realized this too late. Apollo let loose a disturbing cry. Ares jumped out of the way as Apollo tackled him to the floor. He had him pinned now. Apollo gripped his neck, attempting to strangle him. Meanwhile, Ares lifted his spear, and attempted to impale Nico, which he barely dodged by moving his head to the side. Nico desperately patted his hands around trying to find something...anything that could help him. Nico patted around Apollo's chest only to find nothing, he then decided to just attempt to push the latter off of him, but he was too strong. Ares grabbed Apollo's sword, and attempted to decapitate Nico, which he barley blocked with his stygian iron sword. Nico was now trying to overpower two gods' strength, locking his sword with Ares, and trying to push Apollo off of him. He tried punching at Apollo's chest, but he didn't seem to feel it. Nico was turning pale.

Thalia began to cry as she watched the boy she grew up with dying. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion to her. She wanted to scream. She struggled as much as she could but couldn't budge. She wanted to scream in anguish, but the bounding wind spirit muffled her voice.

Zeus stared with horror, as if just realizing what kind of monster he was. He then blinked the sympathy out of his eyes. "This is for olympus..." he whispered to himself.

Nico looked at Thalia and she could see in his eyes that he knew it was hopeless. He mouthed _Thalia...I'm sorry._

He was going to die.

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A familiar painful anger sparked in Thalia. It was like all her past ghosts were coming back to haunt her. She was losing her lover again, and all she could do was watch.

That...just made her explode inside.

She turned to glare at Zeus from her chair. There was pure anger in her electric-blue eyes. The whole colosseum rumbled as the skies filled with dark clouds. She summoned a rain of electricity to flow downwards and electrocute Zeus, stunning him. The electricity was then in her own control. She commanded it to destroy the wind spirits, releasing herself.

Thalia immediately ran for Zeus' lightning bolt, succeeding this time. Zeus regained his stance, but before he could react, Thalia shot a powerful ray of lightning out of the bolt, sending him flying through the wall, incapacitating him. "YOU WILL NOT...HAVE HIM!"

Thalia then immediately threw the lightning bolt at Apollo who was still strangling Nico. The Bolt burnt all the way through Apollo's chest leaving a giant hole, and sending him flying back several feet.

Ares who was surprised and distracting, let his guard down, allowing Nico slash him across the chest, and then kick kim back sending him flying several feet back right next to Apollo. Nico then summoned a hail of sharp obsidian rocks to fall on top of the duo, leaving them pinned under a pile of black rocks.

Thalia jumped into the arena and reunited with Nico. They embraced in a tearful hug, both feeling grateful that they were okay. Thalia felt sparks fly throughout her whole body. "It's okay...we're okay..." She said, blinking the tears out of her eyes. Nico's tears flowed down his face as he smiled with relief.

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Their moment was short-lived when an explosion erupted out of the pile of rocks. Ares stood up, now having pure anger in his eyes. Right next to him, stood up Apollo, who already healed his wound.

Apollo was also filled with pure anger. "THAT'S IT! We're settling this once and for all! Two VS Two!" Apollo challenged, sternly pointing his finger.

"I WILL HAVE YOU THALIA! I WILL BE FREE!" He yelled.

Thalia felt like barfing. Maybe back then she would've liked him. But not now, she liked Nico's version of a boyfriend: loyal, sweet, and would fight for her, as she would fight for him. Not some creepy madman stalker.

"Ah jeez! Dude, I can't believe I thought _you_ were hot." Thalia said, disgusted.

"Okay...I say again...SO BE IT." Nico challenged for the last time.

Nico drew his stygian sword, and summoned and army of skeletons behind him. It was creepy, but in a very hot kind of way.

Thalia drew her spear, and shield, then summoned a cloak of electricity to surround herself.

Apollo and Ares regarded their weapons, preparing to fight. "HAHAHA!" Ares laughed. "The shadows won't be on your side this time. Good luck..."

Thalia looked around her, observing the fire, and then realized something. "Nico...hold on to me."

"Wait...what...?" he asked, confused. He blushed.

"Just do it!" She demanded. Nico then wrapped his arms around her burying his head into her shoulder. Ironically, it looked like Thalia was the man of the relationship.

Thalia spread her hands into the air, and loud roaring sound was heard. A powerful gust of wind surrounded the arena, blowing debris astray but the skeletons didn't seem to be affected. They were like boned statues. The wind was so powerful that it extinguished the ring of fire, around them, darkening the arena, and releasing some shadows. Apollo and Ares, stabbed their weapons onto the ground and held on, desperately trying not to fly away. Nico was barely hanging onto Thalia. The wind then stopped blowing, and left Nico crouching with his head buried in her waist. He blushed.

Nico cleared his throat then stood back up. Ares and Apollo stood back up, as Thalia turned to face them. They were both separated far apart. Ares to the left and Apollo to the right of the colosseum. "What was that you said about shadows?" She smirked.

"OH...now I get it..." Nico said with a mischievous grin on his face. "Thalia...as smart a strategist as always..."

"No matter..." Ares began. "That just means WE can go all out as well..."

Thalia met Nico's eyes but she already knew what he was saying. _We can do this._ "We've done this before, it's just like retrieving my dad's sword: we have to do this-" "Together!" Thalia finished for him. "Right..."

"We live for each other...we die for each other...got that?" She promised him. Nico smiled at the thought of her reassuring promise. They nodded in agreement. They stood back to back. Nico facing Ares, and Thalia facing Apollo.

The four of them readied their weapons, and prepared for a _real_ duel to the death...

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Again...I recommend music...that is all...


	18. Arc 2 Chapter 5: Never Belong

 

 

 

**Thalia (Colosseum [deteriorating])**

Thalia began to question her own morals; her reason for fighting. Maybe Zeus and Artemis were right all along, and that it wasn't worth fighting for a boy who will most likely hurt her in the end.

The words of Aphrodite haunted her. _Just asking for Tragedy.  
_ The thought pained her, but she couldn't be distracted by feeling sorry for herself, _especially_ not now. There will be time to think later.

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Ares, began to windmill his spear again, sparking the stoned ground. Nico seemed a bit quieter and more closed in, as if he wasn't thinking anymore, just focusing on his hate. Thalia began to freak out at the thought. She felt like she was starting to sweat. If Nico can't control his grudges, something will go wrong, that's for sure. Nico charged at Ares, sparking his sword on the ground.

Thalia could hear a series of weapon clashing, and ruffling movements behind her. She had no idea what was going on, but she hoped Nico was still able to keep up. Hopefully, he wouldn't be too reckless. Thalia faced Apollo.

Apollo was piercing his eyes at her disturbingly. He looked as if he were waiting for a fun explosion, in which Thalia would gladly give to him. She raised her hand at the sky, and summoned a lightning bolt. She aimed it towards Apollo. Upon impact there was a big gray smoldering cloud.

Once the clouds dissipated, it revealed nothing but ashes in the destroyed ruins. "Wow, it actually worked." Thalia muttered. Behind her a flash of light flared brightly, almost blinding her, despite facing away from it. She felt a sharp slash on the back of her shoulder. Apollo must have light teleported behind her. She immediately turned around to block the next strike. Her spear locked with Apollo's sword.

"Hahaha! You static face! I'm the sun god, I have control over the light and sun!" Apollo bragged.

"What...but...how? There's no ligh-" Before she could finish her sentence, she glanced at the sky. It was brighter and the sun was rising, and the shadows were being absorbed. That was a _bad_ sign for Nico, but she couldn't do anything about it. The thought made her feel powerless, and angry, as if she could do nothing to save him.

Thalia sparked a wave of electricity out of her body, sending Apollo flying. She turned towards Nico, whom was going to attempt another shadow-phase. He was unaware that it was sunrise, and there no shadows left. "Nico!" She cried out. It was too late.

Ares snapped his fingers setting explosives off, and sending flying debris towards Nico. He raised his hands at the flying rocks only to find no shadows. He was instantly pinned under the chunks, up to his waist. "Noo!" She screamed. He coughed desperately. He met Thalia's eyes. "Thalia...the bolt...the bolt...do it!" He managed to yell.

_Do what?!_ she panicked at first, but then the idea suddenly surfaced into her mind. The bolt was the most powerful weapon in existence, and it was right at her feet. She couldn't resist it's beauty not only because it would save her and Nico, but because it would make her so much more powerful. She picked it up with hunger in her eyes. A hunger for blood.

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Ares who was grinning with satisfaction, charged at Nico. She retaliated by shooting electric out of the rod, sending him flying backwards. Apollo charged at her, also being blasted with lightning in the process. Ares got up and charged at her, again being blasted backwards. Apollo, kept trying as well, making no progress at all.

Thalia began to toy with them. "Not so powerful now, huh? Are you feeling HOT Apollo? Come on! You're the SUN GOD!" She chided. She kept electrocuting them, turn after turn after turn, until they went into defensive. Ares tried throwing greek fire grenades at her. She summoned wind to reroute the explosives towards Apollo. The explosion covered the coloseum in dust.

Thalia summoned the wind to fly her upwards, giving her the height advantage. She felt powerful. She wasn't exactly sure how Nico felt, but he seemed to be angry, maybe he wasn't even paying attention to the fight. She felt her anxiety building up as Nico was still using his fatal flaw. His grudges. Thalia could also be using her own fatal flaw, and she didn't even know it. No time to worry though.

Nico let loose a gutteral scream, and all the rocks pinning him began to levitate. His eyes seemed to be filled with rage again. She wasn't sure how much strength and energy he would have left after getting angry twice. She couldn't do anything about it though, as she was feeling angry herself... _a different kind of angry._

Thalia let loose another scream as well, and created herself an aura of electricity meanwhile, covering the entire colosseum with intense, violent winds. Together they unleashed chaos...

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Nico grabbed his aching head, and grunted. The entire world seemed to be quaking. He used his geokinesis to shoot a hail or levitating rocks towards Ares, staggering him before he could do anything. He then ordered the skeletons to charge, successfully pinning him to the ground.

Thalia flew downwards at Apollo, and dragged him into the sky with her. She wasn't caring about her fear of heights again...but this time, it wasn't because of Nico. It was, _something else._ It felt like a lust; a greed for power.

She summoned winds to enshroud the dazed Apollo, levitating him in the air as a perfect target. He had specs of ashes from the greek fire grenade. He groaned in pain, but Thalia didn't care, she _wanted_ him to feel powerless. She drew her bow and arrows, and unleashed a fury of arrows with inhuman speed. Apollo screamed in agony. _Feel it! Feel the power of a superior being! Feel what it's like to be on the receiving end!_ she then shot herself at him, and began to slash him mercilessly with her spear, meanwhile her aura electrocuted him. She unleashed a combo of strikes until he seemed to be unconcious. Thalia delivered the final blow by stabbing him with her spear, and forcing him down towards the colosseum. He landed with an explosion-like landing as the ground cracked upon impact. He turned on his back, coughing. His wounds were healing, but not as fast, nor as consistently as normal. "NO...please..." he begged. "I WANT TO BE FREE!" Thalia decided her opponent had enough. Nico however, wasn't so merciful.

Thalia looked down at the ground to see Ares struggling to escape the seemingly endless hordes of skeletons. He seemed to be losing as they kept stabbing him the more he pushed through. He had multiple sharp chunks of rocks lodged inside of him all over his body.

Nico was gritting his teeth, eyes full of rage. Ares didn't seem to have a bloodlust-like expression on his face. It seemed to be filled with sorrow instead. "I'm sorry, father..." Ares muttered.

"SORRY? Tartarus doesn't TAKE sympathy. Your essence belongs to the underworld now!" Nico yelled, raising his sword to finish him off once and for all. That was then when Thalia noticed a heart-dropping sight. Zeus crawled back up, through the hole from which he was blasted through. He seemed dazed as if he had just woken up, but there was certainly rage in his eyes as well.

"NICO! STOP!" Thalia warned, but he seemed too busy being vengeful to care. He raised his sword anyways as Zeus summoned a godly-sized bolt of lightning, bigger than any that she herself could've ever summoned.

Thalia electrocuted Nico sending him flying out of the way of Zeus' lightning, meanwhile dropping the Zeus bolt. Zeus' lighting destroyed the upper half of the colosseum, creating a small shadow. "Nico! Shadow travel! NOW!" she ordered. Nico stood up and shook the daze out of his eyes, then reached his hand out for Thalia. She sprinted towards him, then suddenly stopped upon realization, that she had dropped the lightning bolt. _I have to have it!_ she thought. She turned away from Nico and sprinted for the weapon.

"Wait! THALIA! I thought we were shadow-traveling!?" He shouted. Thalia sprinted desperately, looking for the weapon under all the dusty air. She saw a flash of light but was too late to realize that Zeus had summoned another lightning towards her direction. Nico appeared out of nowhere, and used skeletons to shield them from the deadly attack. He grabbed Thalia's arm. "Come on! You said yourself! WE HAVE TO GO! NOW!" he ordered. "NO! IT's ONLY TEN FEET AWAY! WE CAN GET TO IT!" She yelled, trying to get away from his grasp. They both faded into the shadows as another bolt of lightning hit the spot they were no longer located at.

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Thalia closed her eyes, out of instinct and all she could hear was a rush of mixed voices in agony. The air suddenly felt warmer, and she opened her eyes. She and Nico were holding hands on top of a distant mountain. But it wasn't too far away, as they could see the giant puff of smoke from the aftermath of the colosseum. The sky around them was beautiful however.

Nico was staring blankly at the horizon. "So I guess, that's it then, I'll never belong. And now our parents..." his voice cracked.

Thalia felt just as bad as he did but she couldn't show her weakness, especially not now. She did what she always did when they were in times of sorrow. She gave him a kiss, stopping his tears from escaping his beautiful abyssal-black eyes."It'll be okay... we'll make it through this. We made it through the second giant war, we can definitely make it through _this._ " She met his eyes trying to reassure him. "We live for each other...remember?" Nico's knees buckled and he almost fell, but Thalia caught him. She put his arm around her shoulder, and her arm around his waist. "Gotcha." She muttered.

"Yeah...you're right...we have to..." Nico agreed. "Come on corpse breath...let's put some miles between us and this place..."

The couple walked towards the dark woods, and into the unknown.

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**Credit song:** **A** **nadel - Remember m** e

 


	19. Arc 2 Chapter 6: Alone

**Nico (Unknown Location)**

Nico was alone again, even deeper into the darkness that he had once tried to escape.

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Nico couldn't keep track of the time that was going by while they were barely surviving day to day as monsters appeared every hour. Thanks to Thalia they were able to hunt down a few stray animals for food. Being a hunter, she was skilled in lots of survival things, but it was clear they weren't going to make it out here with their limited supplies and damaged bodies.

They hadn't kissed nor hugged or talked since they had escaped the Colosseum. They had not talked accept for the occasional times they had to work as a team, or ask for something. Sure that was fine enough, but something seemed off about them. They never really... _talked,_ like they would during dates.

The couple had encountered at least a dozen different types of monsters. It seemed that every time they decided to stop, there happened to be a stray empousai lurking nearby. It was as if _they_ hadn't ever closed the doors of death and monsters were still rapidly recovering. No wonder they were warned to stay at camps. It won't happen though, as they were now fugitives to the gods.

They had been able to set up small beds made of leaves and sticks. They considered trying to get in contact with demigods and Artemis, but it would be too risky, as Zeus could easily ask Iris to compromise them. They were truly _alone._

Even though Nico had Thalia, he still felt alone. There was a suspicious vibe making a gap between them, and he knew she could feel it as well. Neither decided to speak up at all. Thalia and Nico were laying down on their poorly-made beds, staring up at the sky. He decided to break the ice on the awkward gap.

"Hey Thalia, what's wrong with you?" He started. A pretty bad start in his opinion. She shuffled away, like she was annoyed. What had he done?

"What do you mean?" she sneered.

"You haven't said a word since..." He paused.

Thalia took a deep breath, then stood up. "What's _wrong_ with _you_?! I could've had the bolt if you just waited! We could've had an advantage over them. We would've been powerful!" She seemed to have a greedy lust in her eyes. Now it made sense, they were on edge, and succumbing to their flaws.

"Why do you want it _so_ badly? You were going to get us killed!" He snapped back.

"Speak for yourself! You were busy being angry and tried to finish off Ares! You could've gotten yourself killed! He was _just_ doing his job, it's not his fault! It's my dad's."

"Don't you dare tell me what's who's fault! He was associated with ALL of this! He _deserved_ to die! I could've finished him off if you hadn't-!"

"I saved you! My father was going to KILL you! You're welcome by the way!"

"Yeah...you're welcome too..." he glared.

Nico stood, meeting up to Thalia's height.

"Now...you listen here corpse breath..." Thalia snarled, with a quiet but threatening tone in her voice."...Don't go on telling me how you were, 'killing him for me.' I KNOW you Nico, you were only going to kill him because you were still following your grudges at the gods." She sighed in frustration.

"Ugh, you're just like _him_. You can't even keep your promise! You've learned NOTHING!" she paused. Then she glared at Nico.

"You broke your promise to Bianca." Thalia said, coldly.

"Don't you DARE bring my sister into this!" Nico snapped. "You just want to feel SO powerful don't you? You're really getting on my nerves. Look what you made me go through!"

Thalia looked guilty for a split second, but she brushed it aside. "Look what _YOU_ made _ME_ go through." She swallowed a lump in her throat.

The air around Nico darkened, and the grass wilted beneath his shoes. "What does it matter anyway? We're both going to die now cause of you..." he whispered. Thalia looked like she had been stabbed through the heart. He had maybe taken it too far this time.

"Luke...he died because of me. And now ...god... you..." a single tear fell down Thalia's face.

"Thalia...Im...Im so-" before Nico could finish his sentence, a fist flew at his face. He fell to the floor.

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Nico stood up and looked Thalia in the eyes. "Okay...you want to be powerful Thalia...I'll show YOU powerful." He challenged. Naturally, his sword was already drawn. He didn't care who he was fighting this time, he just wanted to rein his anger down on anything. He didn't know who or what he was angry at, but he was tired of holding it in.

"What are you going to do corpse breath? Get angry? Good you'lll just die then." Thalia chided.

Nico yelled as he charged at Thalia. She countered his sword with her spear,then pummeled his face with the hilt of her weapon. He forgot that Thalia was a master of combat. He tried to fight her anyway.

He raised his sword again and began to hack and slash in a spinning motion. Thalia was quicker than that, and blocked all of his strikes with her lengthy weapon. Nico eventually got tired, and panted for air. She sweep kicked him. She was going to impale him, but he summoned a lump of rock to launch her into the air, however she didn't come back down.

Thalia remained in the air, using the winds to keep her aloft. She snapped her head at Nico, then shot herself towards him. She gripped him by the neck and shoulder. It hurt, but what else was new?

Everything was spinning in Nico's view. All he could see was Thalia 's arm clutching him as the night sky kept spinning. She spiraled him downwards towards the ground. Unfortunately for her, that wasn't going to work on him. Before they hit the ground Nico phased into her shadow, causing her to faceplant.

Thalia stood up, and spat out grass. She looked up to see Nico positioning his hands on the ground. A cage of bones, encased Thalia. She struggled, trying to escape, to no avail.

Nico summoned a dozen skeletons to charge at her. Thalia retaliated by summoning wind to blow them all away like dust. "Fine! I'll kill you myself!" He drew his sword again and ran at her.

Thalia let loose a gutteral scream. The sky rumbled through the gray clouds, and out came a lightning bolt. The bolt was powerful enough to destroy the cage that trapped her, and launched Nico into a tree.

He groaned in pain, sprawled on the floor. He managed to stand, and meet her eyes as she trudged forward with her spear and shield in hand. "I...HATE YOU!" he spat. He charged at her once again.

The lightning had set the trees on fire, causing a wild fire. The fire spread rapidly, covering at least a whole mile worth of trees. Ashes lingered around the air, in the dim light of fire.

Thalia and Nico continued to fight, only using their weapons. They were too weak and out of strength to summon anything. Their weapons emitted sparks of dark blue and black energy. Nico slashed straight down at her, which she blocked with her shield. "God...why did I even fight for you?!" he said struggling with their locked weapons.

Thalia attempted to stab him from down under with her spear. He quickly strafed out of the way. "I ask myself the same question!" She replied. She immediately turned around to slash at him, but he ducked and pummeled him with the hilt of his sword. She responded by directly headbutting him, sending him flying five feet.

He stood up and slashed upwards with his sword, successfully disarming her spear, as he grazed her hand. Probably a bad choice.

Thalia reformed her shield into her bracelet. She then drew her two hunter daggers, and charged him in full fury. She was even faster than Artemis. Nico almost couldn't keep up. She seemed to be like a mini helicopter propeller. All he could manage was to block any attacks that aimed at his face, but he still got cuts in the process. She seemed to be getter tired.

"Stupid..." She started as she raised her dagger for another attempted slash."...boys..."

"Stupid hunters." He replied, locking his weapons with her."You take away everyone!" Thalia dropped one dagger and raised her hand at the sky. She managed to summon a small force of wind, which sent him flying through multiple trees. Before he knew it, they were at the edge of the mountain. They were out of the wild fire's range. She charged at him through the gap between the trees.

Nico also managed to summon something. A single skeleton grabbed her leg, tripping her in the process. She turned on her back to kick it away, making no progress. She flailed her captured leg around trying to escape its grasp. That's when Nico launched at her with his sword. She blocked him with her remaining dagger, then shot electricity out of her weapon.

The shock stunned Nico. That gave Thalia enough time to kick him back towards the edge of the mountain. She stood up and stomped the skeleton grabbing her leg. She glanced over at Nico who was charging at her again. She threw her last dagger, lodging it in his arm. He winced in pain and dropped his sword, and staggering backwards.

Nico regained his balance only to see Thalia with her bow drawn, and powerlust in her expression. She unleashed her remaining arrows into a rain of projectiles. He phased under the shadows of the arrows, just barely.

Thalia threw her bow in frustration. "Are you mad corpse breath? Cause I certainly am! Show yourself, you little powerless zombie!" Nico appeared behind her own shadow. "Yeah...you're _all_ about _power._ " He chided. He kicked her, sending her flying several feet, leaving her sprawled on the edge of the cliff. She stood back up looking dazed. Nico wasn't any less dizzy. They were both feeling weak.

With both of them weaponless, they charged at each other again. Nico tackled Thalia and sent them both falling down the ravine. They landed onto piles of small rocks, but the momentum, and the gravity, kept them falling downwards. They toppled over multiple sharp, and flat rocks. They grunted and groaned in pain as they rolled down the steep hill, getting beat up, the further they fell. They soon started falling down in different directions, until they hit the bottom, both, about fifty feet away from each other.

Thalia and Nico stood up weakly, and gasped for air. They both started coughing and weezing. Despite barely being able to stand, they were really determined to kill each other. At this point all that mattered was their hate for each other. At least, that's what he thought Thalia was feeling.

The air around Nico darkened as if he were sucking up the little bit of light they had in the dark night time environment. His face turned as dark as Tartarus. A black aura made of shadows, surrounded him.

Thalia's eyes emitted blue sparks. Her body formed a cloak of blue electricity. Around her aura, the rocks and pieces of grass were pushed astray as if their were a forcefield around her.

The former couple charged at each other for one last strike. A strike that would determine who was more powerful.

Nico sprinted at her with all his remaining strength, using the shadows to form a cloak of black energy around his fist.

Thalia also sprinted at him, looking like she was also at the last of her strength. Her fist was covered with pure blue electricity, nearly covering her entire arm.

As they both collided, it triggered a giant explosion resembling a blue and black atomic bomb.

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Nico and Thalia lay on the ground across from each other. What was left of the ground they lay on, was colored black with ashes. They panted for air desperately. Thalia faced Nico, who was also coughing violently. They looked horrible.

Nico had a black eye from the punch she delivered, a deep bleeding gash across his face, and was covered in cuts all over his body. His clothes were tattered.

Thalia's clothes were also tattered and covered in cuts. Through a rip in her shirt, he could see a bruise on her stomach from where he had kicked her. Both of their arms were badly burned and smoldering black.

Slowly, and painfully, they stood up. They both seemed like they were about to collapse. They met eyes.

Tears were flowing down Thalia's face. "God...you're just like HIM!" she yelled, her voice cracking. Nico finally realized what he had done. He had turned everything that Bianca and Thalia had given him, into hate. In the end he couldn't even keep his promise. He had learned nothing from Favonious.

She sobbed violently, burying her face into her hands. Each breath in between were intense. "They were right! I gave you a chance! I said you were different! But I guess...you..." She couldn't finish her sentence.

She looked at him her eyes red, and moist. Nico was about to say something when she spoke up. "Now I have NO ONE! Do you get that?! All I had left was my dad, and now he hates me! And now he hates me! Because of _you_!" She shouted, her voice full of pain.

"I knew you would hurt me. " She finished, with her voice quiet and somber.

Nico desperately tried to console her, but it was too late, the damage was done.

"Wait...Thalia... I'm...I'm sorry, I-" His voice was raspy. He stumbled forward, and fell face flat on the ground.

"Just go away." Thalia muttered miserably. She ran into the dark woods, leaving him.

He was truly alone now, just like her. No family. no friends. no lover. no one. And now...he was practically a fugitive.

Nico looked up towards the direction she ran, but she was already gone and out of sight. He crawled hopelessly, attempting to catch up to her. He stood up and managed a fast walk. His heart was beating rapidly.

"Thalia! Thalia!" He called out uselessly. "Thalia! please! " His voice cracked, and his eyes began to sting.

"Please..say something." He buried his face into his knees and began to wail. He shouted at the top of his lungs, hoping it would distract from the internal pain he felt. All that could be heard was his pain filled sobs, almost echoing through the dark forest.

Nico was alone again, even deeper into the darkness that he had once tried to escape.

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**Credit song:** **Say something- A Great Big World (instrumental or not, optional)**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tiny author's note: In case you're wondering why I made your OTP fight was because I felt like adding a bit more of a hate/love relationship between the two in order to have a bit more of a flaw in their relationship so that they wouldn't be tooMary Sue/ Gary Stu-like.


	20. Arc 2 Chapter 7: Smile

**Thalia Grace (The Deep Woods)**

Thalia wondered what happened the night before. She had never been so out of control of her emotions. She had felt so angry at the fact that she missed her chance at power. So, why were they fighting?

Thalia already knew that she was alone; no family, no friends, no hunters, no dad. All she had left was to look forward to seeing that boy, Nico. Now that it was shattered, she didn't even know what to feel. She felt numb and just drifted along endlessly. She blamed her feelings for Nico, as the source of all of this chaos.

Thalia had felt a pain she never felt in a long time. She had a relapse of the day she found out that Luke had betrayed everyone. He had broken his 'family' promise. Nico had done the same; he broke his promise.

One question still bugged her: Was she _really_ mad at _Nico?_

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Thalia kept drifting along endlessly, she had no real goal, but she knew that running always saved her from the pain. That was a huge part of why she joined the Hunters of Artemis. She didn't want to witness losing something she never found...

Thalia never wanted this to happen, but she was truly lost, and on edge. She had limped around the woods for hours since _that night_.

Her whole body felt like it was going to collapse if she stopped for a second. She finally gave up and fell forward onto the dirt. All around her was the forest trees and the distant darkness. The vicinity she was inside of was beautiful and glowing however. The light seemed almost magical. A river bed flowed just a few feet of where she lay to rest.

She crawled towards the river in front of her. She took a sip of refreshing purified water, and washed off the dirt on her face. She looked at the reflection and saw how horrible she looked. It was like she had fought during D-Day. Her hair however was permanently spiky and messy. It never went down no matter what.

"Honey...please, stop and rest for a little bit. You're going to burn yourself out if you keep running." A voice came suddenly from behind her. It was the familiar, motherly, voice of Aphrodite. She walked up to hug her but was disapointed when she felt no essence. It was just an Iris message.

"I have to make it quick. If you've received this message, you probably feel lost, and hopeless with no goal. I just want you to stop for a second and think. You're young, and that's okay, you make stupid decisions. But I'm here to guide you through with what I can." Through the iris message, Aphrodite was gazing at Thalia, almost promisingly.

"Please, for your own sake, and for the sake of your lover...think about what you're doing. What are you _really_ mad at?" The message ended. Thalia took a moment to think. Her chest welled up with guilt when she realized the truth she had already known all along.

"That's right, you realize now don't you?" Another message said, coming out of nowhere. "No by the way, you're not wrong. You knew it all along..." Aphrodite started. "You were just angry and frustrated. But it wasn't at Nico. You were feeling powerless at the thought that you were destined to lose him. Feeling powerless is your fatal flaw, remember that... You have to learn, that sometimes you do not have the power to control everything, and that sometimes, it's best to just let things happen. Let nature take its place."

Thalia began to cry. Not out of pain, but out of comfort at the thought that someone understood her, and knew how she felt all those years. It told her that maybe she wasn't alone all those years of holding in her burdens. The message began to play again. "And one more thing...I'm sorry Thalia, I shouldn't have said that earlier...no one ever deserves to be told that they would never find love. Just because you're young, doesn't mean that your love won't last. It was huge mistake on my godly part and I'm sorry. But I realize that we're not all perfect, even wise divine gods make mistakes. We _all_ have flaws, some that cannot be fixed... now I have to go before Hera and Zeus come looking for me." The message ended.

Thalia felt a solace that she hadn't felt in a long time, but also a bit of self-reassurance. The words echoed in her head... _we all have flaws._ She realized that she shouldn't blame Nico or anyone for what happened. It just happened. Nico had his flaws, and she had her own flaws, neither of them were perfect... but that's what makes their relationship meaningful. He had forgiven her, so she should do the same for him.

She lay back down staring up at the blue sky through the leaves of the surrounding trees. She took a moment to breath.

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Something grabbed Thalia from behind, and yanked her with such force she didn't have time to react. A hand covered her mouth, muffling her gasp. The hand smelled like a hunter's after a week of nonstop poaching. The smell of raw animal meat, and ashes from bonfires. She had guessed correctly that it was a hunter's. _No...not now...this is NOT the time for this!_ She thought.

Artemis whispered into Thalia's ears. "Don't you worry Lieutenant, I'll make this boy suffer for hurting you like that." She sighed with frustration. "I should've known that it was a wrong move to accept boys. They're all just immature, flawed animals, like I suspected. I gave that boy one chance and he destroyed you. No worries though hunter, he will suffer. For now you should just rest..." She concluded sinisterly. Apparently, she didn't overhear the iris message.

Thalia wanted to speak up and hope to explain everything to her, but her grip was so strong she couldn't speak and none of her escape techniques worked. Artemis pulled out a tranquilizer dart and lodged it into Thalia's neck. Everything began to turn blurry as she felt her whole body paralyze. She managed to glance at Artemis facing a dozen hunter silhouettes. All that she could make out of her words was... _look for the boy...track him down...show no mercy... seven of you should stay and watch over her._ That was then when everything turned black.

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After a while of being unconcious, Thalia's head began to ache. She woke up to the feeling of someone pushing her shoulder. She had a mix of shock and comfort at the voice.

"Thalia...wake up...please...please...be alive! Come on!" his voice seemed to be even more devastated than usual. It was Nico. She could feel his panic and heavy breathing through his hand that pushed at her.

Thalia gasped and then woke up. She looked at Nico who had a look of panic that turned into relief. "Oh thank Hades you're alive..." he said.

Thalia's heart dropped at the sudden realization that they were still in danger. How had he gotten to her without being noticed by the hunters?

There was no time to explain to him, but they _had_ to get out of there as soon as possible. "Nico? What are you _doing_ here? "she stuttered.

"What do you mean? I came looking for you. I just...didn't want to be alone again..." He said squeakily. Thalia immediately stood up and put her hand on his mouth. "Wait...Thalia I wanted to say I'm-" She tightened the grip on her hand.

"You shouldn't have followed me Nico..." Thalia said gravely.

He moved her hand away from his mouth, gently.

"You should've said, 'don't follow me...' " He replied reassuringly.

An arrow landed between them. On its tip, was a blinking red light, that beeped really fast. Thalia tackled Nico away from the arrow as it exploded. "Wha...?" He asked, looking shocked. The hunters had found them.

Thalia took Nico's hand and helped him to his feet. He blushed. _Dude, really? Why right now of all times?_ she thought. She led him through the trees and out of the range of a few more exploding arrows."Wha...Wha? What's going...?" Another arrow exploded a tree, causing it to fall towards Nico. He wasn't able to finish his sentence as Thalia tackled him out of the way. _Thank god it didn't land on my legs this time._ She thought.

Thalia looked him in the eyes. "Nico! Shadow travel! NOW!" She ordered.

"Wait...but I wanted to say-" He was interrupted by an arrow hitting just a few inches right next to them. It beeped rapidly, and immediately, Nico wrapped his arms around Thalia. Out of instinct, she buried her head into his shoulder, and into the shadows they faded.

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Thalia was always told to never open her eyes during shadow-travel...but she opened them anyways. She opened them to see Nico staring at her, looking full of awe. Then his expression changed to panic. "Wait...Wait, what are you doing?! Close your eyes! It's too disturbing for anyone!" She ignored him and looked down.

There wasn't really anything disturbing at all. She held onto Nico as they fell down the endless black hole. Around the endless black hole she could see images of beautiful mountains and other former wonders of the world. There was the place where Nico and Bianca had been saved by her and Percy, then there was manhattan, looking sunny with the blue sky, and a calm city. She saw a few more places that held painful memories for him. They were all beautiful and it left her in awe.

She understood though that Nico found those places disturbing due to the dark memories they held. "Nico..." she started. "This...this is beautiful..." He looked pained. "I know. Those were images of how I viewed those places before I lost Bianca..." "Oh..."

Thalia couldn't help it though. They were so beautiful, and had a romantic vibe to them. Despite them being in the dim surroundings of shadows, it almost felt real, like they were actually flying through the mountains. It was perfect...

Even though it had a beautiful setting, it was balanced out with the black outlines of the shadows. Just how she liked it. Nothing too pretty, and nothing too dark. It was a beautiful setting, with _black_ mixed into it...Her and Nico's favorite color.

Thalia held his hand and suddenly all the pain in his expression disappeared. "Come on, let's just enjoy this ride without either of us feeling hurt." she asked him sweetly. "Yeah...yeah okay..." He agreed, with a smile creeping up on his face. His smiled seemed genuine for once, and not like he was pretending to be happy for other people.

"Welcome to the Hades domain."

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Nico began to look weak. He looked like he was about to close his eyes. She forgot how much he must have overused his strength over the last few days. From fighting gods, to fighting her, and from wandering the woods, looking for her. She decided to give him a break.

"Nico, let go...come on. I'll handle the traveling this time. " She held onto him tightly, preparing to fly. "What...I...I can't...we're above the middle of the ocean..." He said, his face white with effort.

"Trust me. Let go. Do you trust me?"

"I...I trust you..." he said.

The shadows around them dissipated, and revealed a beautiful sunrise above the ocean. The transition from shadow to winds was smooth. The wind kept them aloft in the air. Nico held onto her tightly, looking like he had regained his strength.

All around them she could feel the cool winds blowing at her face. She could hear the waves of the ocean trudging back and forth. The clouds above them were pretty and white, and not black like the ones she could summon. The sun shined around them. Despite them being in danger, it seemed calm and peaceful for once, like nothing was wrong. Thalia levitated them still in the air, as if they were standing on an invisible platform made of winds.

"No... _this..._ is _beautiful_." Nico said, holding onto her hands. Thalia met his eyes.

"Welcome to the Zeus domain..."

The couple stared at each other, for a long moment in silence. But it wasn't one of those awkward silence moments. It felt like a moment of pure solace. Nico stared at her with a smile on his face. His hair was blowing astray under the wind. His smile was creepy due to lack of cheek muscles, but she thought he couldn't look anymore handsome than he did at that moment. From his medium length messy hair, to his black clothes, to his pale skin, and his eyes that were permanently dark from lack of sleep. She returned the smile. Thalia wanted to cry tears of joy at this familiar feeling...the feeling...of being _close._

Nico's expression turned to a look of guilt. "Look, Thalia...what I wanted to say...was I'm sorry. And I _really_ am this time. I should've kept my promise. I should've let go of my anger I-" Thalia put her finger over his lips. "Shush. It's okay my little _soldatino_...I'm sorry too. I shouldn't be angry at you. I should love you for your flaws. If I don't, then it wouldn't be true love. We _both_ have our flaws, and we can't fix all of them. I can't fix you...and you can't fix me...but we can only love each other...unconditionally." They had both been stupid, but who cares? They were still teenagers.

Nico stared at her with shock and happiness. In his beautiful abyssal-black eyes, she could see that he too could feel the solace of this moment. His eyes began to tear up, but not from pain...but from joy. Soon her eyes did the same. They leaned in closer.

"My little Soldatino?" Nico smirked as if it were corny. It probably was.

"My little soldier." Thalia gave one more smile lovingly, in which he returned.

They leaned their heads in for another sky kiss.

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**Credit Song:** **In that smile- Mattia Cupelli**

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally written on Valentines Day. So all I really have to say is...Happy Valentines :)   
> \- Thalico


	21. Arc 3 Chapter 1: No one

**Thalia Grace (Middle of the Ocean)**

Thalia could still feel the deathly burn of Nico's kiss. It felt great.

She and Nico had been flying above the ocean for quite a long time. The sun had already begun to rise again. The ocean was calm and quiet. Just like Nico. He had begun to fall asleep in her arms as she flew them above the ocean. They had no goal really, it was more of a _in the moment_ thing.

All they cared about was that moment. It was calm, the ocean was sparkling pretty, the sun was shining, and the best part...they were together. It was as if all the pain and harshness of life was gone. No gods, no hunters, no monsters, just them and the beautiful setting.

Nico had fully fallen asleep in her arms by now. _Score._ He relaxed his head into her shoulder, his arms around her back. He looked strangely angelic. Maybe that's why he got his name, _Di Angelo._ He didn't look tense, angry, sad, or like a boy who was madly infatuated with her. He looked like a normal teenager...himself. Just like her.

As they flew above the waters, Thalia was tempted to fall asleep as well. She began to close her eyes. She heard a loud earthly rumble and she immediately snapped her eyes open. She was 'welcomed' to the sight of a big blue fist made of water. It opened up to grab them.

"N...NICO! Wake up! We got a problem!" Thalia cried out, shaking Nico awake. "Wh...what? OH Shi-poopi!" The giant blue fist encased them like a giant hand. Through the clear transparent water of the fist, she could see that they were being pulled into the ocean.

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They began to scream as they were dragged under, with their voices being distorted into nonsense by the surrounding water barrier. After a few moments she felt like she was about to pass out. Her lungs were giving up and her ears were popping from the sudden change of depth.

Suddenly the water fist subsided and they landed standing up. They both kept screaming, despite them not falling anymore, which was pretty stupid. _Dejavu_ she thought. Thalia looked around to see that they were inside of some kind of building. Their clothes were dry despite being pulled by a fist made of water, and they were still able to breath.

Across from them was a long blue carpet that led to a blue throne with a man in a hawaiian t-shirt, shorts, sea-green eyes, and a beard. Seriously, what's up with all this blue? It's not even the cool looking blue like her eyes either. There were some people who were lined up around the carpet holding tridents. If she looked closely, these 'people' had large seahorse tails for the lower half of their bodies.

The idea finally clicked to her. This was the underwater palace of Poseidon, and the people around the carpet were _Icthyocentaurs;_ half human, half fish bodied beings. And the man on the throne was Poseidon himself. Nico was about to draw his sword. Thalia put her hand on top of his. "Don't bother, neither of us are in condition to fight." She whispered.

"What do we do then? I don't think he's here to help us." he replied. "It's not like everyone in the world is out to kill us." She said trying to assure him. Nico didn't seem assured. He looked at her with an expression that said, _riiiiight..._ "Let's just see what he wants first. He seems cool, considering he's Percy's dad."

Nico seemed shaken up at the mention of Percy. Thalia couldn't read why. "Son of Hades." Poseidon started. Nico bowed down, almost as if he were at his mercy. Poseidon turned to Thalia. "Erhm...Son of Zeus was it?" Thalia didn't understand how girls had to wear feminine outfits without black just to be considered a girl.

Thalia frowned. "I'm a _girl._ so yeah..." she bowed along with Nico.

"OHhhhhh. That explains a lot, considering that you two were _way_ too close together to be just two boys." he chuckled. "Speaking of _two_ boys...Do you know anything about that... _son of Hades?_ " He let loose another mocking laugh, almost as if he were insinuating something. Nico seemed to know what he was talking about, considering that he looked shocked, as if something were haunting him. Rather ironic considering he's a Hades child. What was Poseidon talking about though? "Please...don't... not again..." Nico begged.

"Nico... what's he talking about? How do you two know each other? Did something happen?" Thalia began to panic. If something was going to hurt Nico again, she wouldn't be able to bare the sight. Poseidon laughed again. "It doesn't matter now, considering that you've got _her._ A girl. I suppose you chose the right...what was it called? _Side?_ " He chided. "Percy told me all about how you had a-"

"Leave him alone!" Thalia snapped. All the Icthyocentaurs trained their weapons at her. She didn't realize that she was beginning to spark. She calmed herself down, and went back to pretending to bow. "No...Percy...he... how could he? Just...just no...no..." Nico whimpered. Thalia could tell there was pain and betrayal in his voice.

"I had a little reunion party with him after the war. I asked him all about how his adventure had been, and well... he said it casually. Not really realizing what he'd revealed about you... He always was as clueless as a clam. Haha... anyways...back to the important matter..." He gestured his hands at the ugly-blue colored fish warriors, and they all re sheathed their weapons.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"I've been given an Iris message about your whole situation. Hera says that there would be an imbalance of power if you two were to be together. And personally...I agree with her." He said gravely.

"HERA?! You're going to take _her_ word?" Thalia shouted.

"Hera is NOT a person with good intents. She almost killed Thalia once." Nico finally said.

"Look, I agree with you personally, she's not really the...wisest person to listen to. And I'm sorry that this has to happen, but we really CANNOT risk another potential source of chaos..."

"What do you even mean? Do you even know what you're talking about? What's the big deal anyway? Neither of us are a child of yours so what's _your_ problem?" Thalia shouted. "What risks?" Nico asked.

"I don't think you're understanding the risks there are behind all of this," Poseidon started. "A child of Hades gets together with a child of Zeus. Hades and Zeus would be okay due to their children being balanced. If the couple decided to overthrow Zeus, the Zeus' kid would object. If the couple decided to overthrow Hades, Hades' kid would object. However...where does that leave the third god of the big three? The powers wouldn't be balanced; the couple could easily team up with Zeus and Hades, then overthrow _me_...the god that was left out of the power balance." He snorted. "And they always say that HADES is the one left out?"

"That's ridiculous! Do you really think that some teenagers would want-?" Thalia put her hand over Nico's mouth. "Don't bother. He's already become corrupted in the head. There's no talking him out. _He's_ against us as well." Thalia said, dejectedly. Nico nodded his head sadly.

"I'm sorry, but this is not only for my own sake, but for the world's sake..." Poseidon said, almost sympathetically. "Aphros! Bythros! Take them to the chambers...lock them up well." Two other fish men walked towards them and grabbed them by the arms. Through the expressions on their faces, she could see that they were hesitant. Almost as if they agreed that all of this was wrong.

Nico glared at Poseidon as they were escorted away from the throne. "And here I was thinking that you were the most sane of the three. You _dare_ to call yourself Percy's father?" He gave one more look that even haunted Thalia. All the warriors flinched. "YOU...Are NOT related to Percy. He cares about others, he's a hero. You...well, you're not even worthy to be his father."

Poseidon didn't seem phased, in fact he may have even been smirking under his beard. "Yes...yes... you seem to know _alot_ about _Percy_. _Don't you?"_ He chided. Nico's expression immediately turned sad, like he was ashamed of himself. "We must hurry and rid of them as soon as possible. Put them in separate chambers. Go on."

The two mermen pulled at them once last time, and for once...Neither of them resisted. They were powerless to do anything, and that just tore Thalia apart inside. They had truly lost this time. No gods. No hunters. ** _No one_** on their side.

Thalia looked at Nico for what was possible the last time they would ever see each other again. They were both beginning to tear up.

She whispered to him, with anguish in her voice. "We'll make it through this...together. I promise. We'll be okay...like always..." Nico wiped his tears away, and sniffed, trying to hide his feelings.

She looked at him one last time and forced a smile as the doors of the palace shut behind her and her escort.

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**Credit Song:** **In the Pines- Janel Drewis.**

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: In case you're wondering why I chose a song that was so different from the others, was because I was trying to choose a song that gave you a sense of defeat. Kind of like the ending in episode 2, season 2 of the walking dead game. Again, I personally think it matches the mood of how I ended this chapter.


	22. Arc 3 Chapter 2: Sleeping at Last

**Thalia Grace (Poseidon's Palace)**

If even Poseidon, the most reasonable of the big three doesn't trust them together, then who will? And If they're powerful enough to cause paranoia in even the most reasonable gods...then just how powerful exactly are the Children of the Big Three? And last but not the least worrying... _what happened between Nico and Percy?_

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Thalia had been sitting in her dark underwater cage for what felt like days. She didn't know the time though, she was isolated from the world, sitting in an underwater cage deep down in the ocean, out of reach of mortals and demigods. No one could save her or Nico.

Thalia was all alone again, sitting in a transparent bowl with nothing to view other than the water around her container. Nothing else could be seen through the dark blue surroundings other than the Fish man outside of her container, keeping guard. She was pretty sure he couldn't hear her through the container, as she had been wailing like a mad woman for a long time. And occasionally she started singing some songs like 'say something' or 'a lonely road' by greenday. She could've sworn she was going insane. _So this must be somewhat what Nico felt in that jar he was rumored to have been inside of_. she thought.

Things were most likely getting worse with the gods on the surface, and all she could do was rot in this cage. She didn't even at least have Nico by her side.

She began to tear up at the thought of how powerless she was in this moment. She was losing hope and she was slowly giving up. The only thing she could do at that moment was to fall asleep, and hope that something would happen.

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Her dreams were always so depressing and bleak. She could see another transparent bowl with a dejected looking boy inside of it. It was obviously Nico, but something seemed different about the bowl. He was floating in the middle of his bowl. Unlike her own container, his had water inside of it. Thalia's heart dropped.

They were trying to drown him. Clearly, they were trying to kill him slowly, as they had purposely let water into _his_ container. The sight of his blue face, made her want to scream, but she could only cry at the horrible sight. She ran at the bowl and tried to burst it open with her spear, although it wouldn't budge, not even a dent. As she lifted her spear for another strike, the scenery changed.

The scene showed her body floating adrift the surface of the water. As the illusory Thalia was washed ashore, she looked up to see an angry looking Zeus, and a lifeless Nico in his arms. The scene then shifted to Thalia being imprisoned in one of Zeus' chambers, she seemed to be half-insane. It then showed Hades mourning his son, as he carried his body to a special palace in the underworld.

The scene changed again, to show an apocalyptic world, where everything was destroyed. The meadows were burned, the trees were crushed, the air was polluted, and the skies were red. The entire battlefield showed a numerous amount of chaos going on. The Greek and Roman demigods were fighting off loads of sea monsters, underworld monsters, Sky spirits, and much more, but they were slowly losing. The Big three gods were engaging in a destructive battle of earthquakes, lightning, and tsunamis. Zeus was trying to fight for dominance to cope with his power struggle. Poseidon was trying to protect his son, Percy, who fought alongside the greeks. Hades was the most terrifying, as he was consuming half the world with dark energy. He most likely was fighting to avenge his son.

The scene revealed the Doors of Death to be open, and showed the seven demigods of the last prophecy to be fighting their way to the doors, but they were outnumbered and being pushed back. To her horror, Jason had fallen in battle, with Piper slowly bleeding out next to him. Annabeth, her best friend, was bleeding badly with an arrow under her thigh. Hazel was fighting on her warhorse, Arion was it? But it soon received an injury from a rock god, throwing Hazel off of the horse. Frank seemed to be doing okay, but he seemed to be getting tired after every transformation. He tried fighting to Hazel with no avail. Something tackled Frank and the scene panned away from her view again.

The scenery showed herself and Nico lying down, dead in the middle of a destroyed world. Leo Valdez, who was just returning from who knows where on his mechanical dragon, landed right next to them. There was a girl with cinamon colored hair and a white dress riding behind his dragon. He looked up to the ongoing battle "Stay here." He said to the girl. "Jeez...uhhh... anyone wanna go back to Ogygia?" He joked. But even he, the normally charismatic boy, looked horrified. He came to check on the dead couple which of course, was herself and Nico. His eyes widened, and he had a look of regret on his face.

"No...zombie dude? Jason's hot sister? Oh my gods. Wha...what happened?" He began to cry, but Thalia didn't know why.

"Oh gods, it's _all_ my fault. The sacrafices, the war, the cookie..." He sobbed into the girl's shoulder. "God...I hate cookies so much."

Thalia gasped as she woke up from her nightmare. A strange way to end a dream. Thankfully, it was just a dream. Or was it? Normally dreams were always the fates' way of telling the future. She wouldn't allow it to happen however. As Percy once said, "I make my _own_ destiny." She wouldn't let her lover die, not again.

Thalia felt a sudden surge of hope and motivation flow through her empty body. She forgot that she had some ambrosia in her pocket. She pulled it out and took a risk to swallow it whole. Sudden anger and rage flowed through her body. She began to emmit blue sparks from her body, forming a cloak of pressure from the energy was enough to cause the bowl to explode.

The fish man guarding the outside of her bowl was knocked unconcious from the blast. At the same time, Thalia raised her hands up, or at least what she thought was up, and bursting through the water like a torpedo was a storm spirit. It surrounded her, like a whirlwind of oxygen.

The water swirled around her like an underwater tornado. Immediately fish men guards rushed to the scene. "What...What IS THAT?!" one of them shouted out.

They readied their spears and charged at her only to be electricuted by her emitted sparks. More guards came in to shoot arrows that somehow worked underwater. She used the winds the blow them away, some flying back at the creatures. They crumbled into dust and floated away as they died. "Who wants to go to Tartarus?!" Thalia cried valiantly.

More charged at her but she easily shot electricty at them from her bare palms. Soon dozens were surrounding her.

She ran forward and charged headfirst into the crowd of warriors. She picked up a dagger and a spear from the remanants of a dead creature.

As the warriors attempted to slash at her, she blocked all of them with inhuman speed. She countered each of them, delivering a fatal blow one after another. The fish archers suddenly stopped shooting at her. And she soon figured out why: there were no more left.

She calmed down, and the electricity faded from her body. In front of her was the palace that she had been dragged out of by that ocean scum, Poseidon. The doors were still closed, and it was quiet. She bet that that paranoid scum was just relaxing on his throne reading a book while she a Nico had been dying. The thought just infuriated her. She marched forward but stopped at the sound of a voice.

"Wait...don't do that. That's suicide." She turned around to see two Mermails staring at her worriedly. She couldn't make out the details, as they all looked the same to her. "Why _shouldn't_ I kill you right now?" She threatened.

The two mermails didn't flinch or even move. In fact they seemed calm. "You're welcome by the way. We got rid of the extra layer on your bowl so that you could escape." He said. "I'm Aphros, and this...is Bythros." He pointed to the other mermail.

Thalia arched her eyebrow. "Oh yeah, you're the one that escorted me to my little playhouse." She drew her dagger and aimed it across his throat. "Again, why shouldn't I kill you?"

"Because, we're here to help you." Aphros sighed. "Just like we helped your friends, urhmm...what was his name? Leo! Yes... and Hazel and Frank."

Thalia's eyes widened at the sudden realization. "Wait, those were demigods of the prophecy? No?" She resheathed her dagger.

"We could sense that you were associated with one of the demigods so we decided to help." Bythros said.

"Why _should_ I trust you?" She asked with threat in her voice.

"Because we're the only way out for you and your boyfriend." Aphros assured her. She blushed.

"Plus...you don't really have a choice, cause the ocean is like a maze. Also, it would be pretty stupid to just walk in there and attack the sea god, in his own domain." Bythros warned.

Thalia sheathed her weapons. "So...wait...why are you helping us?" she asked.

"Because...well...let's say, you're not the only ones who question the logic of these paranoid gods." Aphros said jokingly."Not _everyone_ in the world is your enemy."

"Fair enough." Thalia said. They gestured for her to follow to which she obliged.

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After walking around the deep blue for a long time, she began to feel worried. A cold shiver ran down her spine at the thought that it could be a trap. She was right.

An arrow landed between her feet. It beeped rapildy. Immediately, Aphros tackled her away from the explosive arrow, getting himself covered with shrapnel in the process. A dozen silhouettes with glowing arrows in the distance were all trained at the them.

"You have to go! NOW!" Bythros ordered. "They've found us!"

"But..."

"GO! We'll handle this! Just keep running down that way! You'll find him!" Aphros yelled, shooting an explosive arrow back at the unknown enemy. "Th...Thank you."

Thalia ran through the deep blue water with all her effort for what felt endless. The only reason she could run was because of her wind spirit that was protecting her from the harsh water pressure.

It seemed to be endless blue, until she saw something shiny and transparent in the distance. It was the container that Nico was put inside of. He was floating aloft, looking dead. She would've panicked but she saw that he was alive. Two pomegranate seeds floated around his tank. He put himself in a death trance.

She banged on the tank with her spear. It actually began to crack, unlike her dream sequence. _Thank you Aphros._ she thought.

The tank exploded and out came Nico Di Angelo. Thalia grabbed onto him and held him inside of her wind barrier. To her fear, he wasn't breathing. An arrow landed between her feet beeping rapidly.

She dived to the ground, shielding Nico from the explosion. All around them were silhouettes all armed with bows and arrows and other weapons. She closed her eyes as a dozen more arrows flew towards her.

Suddenly a spear flew in the way, and intercepted the arrows. _Aphros._ "I got you!" He yelled. He summoned a bubble to encase her and Nico, and up to the surface, they began to float. Everything happened so fast, she didn't even have time to react. "We've got this! I'll see you two another time!" Yelled Bythros as he shot one of the silhouettes down. The last thing she saw before going upwards was multiple big underwater explosions.

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Thalia woke up on soil next to a river. She looked up to see that she was in the middle of the woods again. She was still dry somehow. It didn't make sense, but she was glad, considering it would be embarrassing walking around with wet underwear.

Thalia began to panic. _Nico!_ she thought. She stood up and trudged around, feeling weak. To her relief Nico landed only a few feet away from her. He was still blue though. She couldn't tell if he was dead or not, which made her panic again.

"N...Nico?" She fell to her knees next to him and held him in her arms. Nico didn't even move.

"NICO! PLEASE!" She begged, beginning to cry again. She cried into his shoulder. "Nico please! Don't do this to me... please..." she begged, shaking him, in hopes that he would wake up. No response.

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To Thalia's hugest relief ever, he twitched. His chest heaved up and down as he coughed out a few drops of water. His eyes opened and he looked at Thalia. "Nico! Oh Thank g-" A spray of water came out Nico's mouth and onto her face. She gave him a pokerface.

"Sorry...Did I ever tell you how much I hated water?"

She wiped the water out of her face and embraced him in a hug.

He looked up at her naively. "You... _saved_ me?"

"No, _they_ saved us."

"Who?"

"Never mind." She sighed sadly.

"I'm...I'm just so glad you're okay. We're okay, and you're alive and...and and..." She hugged him even tighter and let loose a sob. "I was so afraid I would never see you..."

"Me too. I thought that was it for us... but then...you..." he smiled.

Thalia cleared her throat and wiped the tears off of her face. "Okay, I think that's enough. We should rest for a bit, and I mean real rest, not unconcious underwater rest. We'll need it if we're going to be able to defend ourselves."

"Agreed."

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Thalia lay down on the grass staring at the blue night sky. She began to think happy thoughts for once. Back to the days with Annabeth and Percy, and the time when she reunited with Jason. Then her first date with Nico. Unfortunately her thoughts were interrupted.

Nico rolled over to Thalia's side and joined her in staring at the night sky. "Can't sleep?" She asked.

"Nah... Whatcha thinking about?" Nico asked almost childishly. Thalia joined in on the childishness by wriggling her legs. Maybe deep inside they were still kids at heart.

"Nothing specific really. Just reflecting on my past self." She sighed sadly. "Like...how exactly did I become like this? Where did it go wrong?" She let out a small chuckle.

Nico laughed, which was still a rare sight to her even though they were together. "I do that too. I think, maybe if this and this didn't happen, I would still be that happy kid I was."

Thalia stared at him intently. "What do you mean? What are you saying?"

"Bianca always told me that, we shouldn't be sad about losing it, but that we should be grateful that it happened...or else...we wouldn't be who we are today. Things that happen, happen for a reason. They happen so that we could learn, and mold ourselves into a better person." He sighed sadly.

"Wow... _she_ said that?" Thalia asked genuinely shocked.

"She was really smart for a twelve year old. That's why dad always liked her more than me."

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be. It's not like I need a pity party."

"Oh..."

Thalia shuffled over closer to Nico. "Well...you already know all about my special person...what about _yours_?" He asked her so innocently that she didn't even mind opening up.

"Who? Luke?" She asked.

"Yeah." Normally she would snap at people for even bringing him up, but something about Nico's pretty eyes gave her a solace that told her she was in a place she wouldn't be judged. She let loose a painful sigh.

"He...he saved my life. He was the whole reason I even strived to survive in this world." She paused suddenly.

"Sounds like he was a great guy. " Nico said sympathetically.

"Yeah...but then my dad...and everything went downhill since...I died. And he..." She felt a pain heave into her chest, but for once she didn't cry. Nico held her hand. "I know...I heard. It's horrible."

They stared up at the sky in comforting silence. It was like nothing was going on again. She had the same feeling she felt when she flew with Nico over the oceans.

"You saved me you know..." She started.

"Pssh...you would've done the same."

"No...I mean...Yes you saved like _that._ But you also _saved me saved me."_ she hinted.

"What do you mean?" He asked reluctantly.

"Luke...he was the reason I swore off of love. I joined the hunt to escape the pain, but it didn't help, it only relieved it..." She let loose another painful sob. "After that, I thought that was it. I would never find love again. No guy would ever become special to me again. But you proved that wrong. You're...different." She smiled at him. She expected him to blush, but he didn't. Instead, he smiled back.

"Thanks. You saved me as well."

"Oh? How so?" she asked.

"You taught me so much I can't even begin to list all of them. But one stand out the most to me. Now, don't judge me okay...cause I know it's cheesy." He half smiled at her.

"Nah relax. Come on...lay it on me." she assured him.

"You taught me that, I should let go of my past. My grudges, because if I don't I won't ever be able to...you know...move on." He said in awe.

"Oh come on...that was Bianca...not-"

"No...This was you. I never listened to her. I didn't know how dangerous my grudges were until...well...you-" he paused.

"Yeah...yeah I guess so." She already knew what he was implying. "I guess we _both_ teach other stuff."

"Isn't that how love is supposed to be like?" He asked smirking at her. Thalia's expression turned sad.

"Oh...never mind...I guess I shouldn't have called it that."

"It's okay..."

She continued staring at the constellations, secretly admiring Zoe Nightshade's constellation. The two just held hands for another long moment, admiring the stars. Thalia decided to ask another question.

"Hey Nico..." she started. "Do you think we'll ever be...you know... _okay?"_

"It's hard to say really. But Bianca said something once. Ugh...sorry, I keep doing that. Is it okay if I bring her up again?" he asked.

"No no, don't worry. Continue." she reassured him.

"She said, 'Get stronger now, for things will get better. It may be stormy now, but it can't rain forever.' "

Thalia stared at him in awe.

"Sorry, was that cheesy?" He asked insecurely.

"No...It was actually pretty nice. I'll remember that."

After a few moments of awkward silence he let loose a happy sigh.

"You know...I think it's best we just...you know...live for the moments." He stared at the sky.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean...isn't it beautiful?"

"What is?"

"Just you know...the fact that we exist. We exist in such a big beautiful universe you know. It's as if the universe was made just to be seen by our eyes, so we could have beautiful moments like these."

"Yeah...you're right. We should just admire, how rare...how _beautiful_ it is to just exist."

"It's like they always say, live in the present, look forward to the future."

"Hehe yeah."

They moved in close and cuddled together. With that, they closed their eyes and held hands tightly, sleeping at last.

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**Credit Song:** **Sleeping at Last -Saturn**

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: My apologies if this chapter wasn't as actionpacked as usual. But I would like to point out the fact that this is still a romance. And the tragedy part...I mean...do I really have to explain that. We all know what happens at the end of tragedies. So anyways bye and make sure you leave a review because I am in love with those. I wouldn't be continuing without the motivation from reviews.


	23. Arc 3 Chapter 3: Secrets

**Thalia Grace (Lost/Unknown Location)**

They had survived for what felt like maybe a few days. It's a surprise that no gods nor any hunters had found them. Just the occasional dozen stray monsters that attacked them during their trek. She decided that she didn't want to jinx herself by thinking about it.

Nico seemed to be trying his best to be 'the man' of the relationship. He tried to do most of the hunting, killing, and he even tried for any chance he could to take watch while she slept. Unfortunately, he wasn't very good at it, which was expected from a fourteen year old. Nonetheless, she still liked him. Dating a younger boy reminds her that it's okay to be stupid and childish once in a while. Life should never be taken _too_ serious.

Sadly, their faces didn't say the same thing. They both looked even worse than when they started. Their eyes were red, clothes were worn-out and stitched, and they both shared the same expression of a hyperactive animals that were constantly on guard as if they could die any second. Nico looked nauseous. Even so, he pushed himself to lead the way through the misty forest.

"Nico, do you even know where we're going?" Thalia asked

Nico sighed in defeat. "Honestly...No I don't. Sorry."

Thalia sighed with frustration.

"Aren't you Hunters like, good at tracking or something...?"

"I'm a _Hunter_ Nico. I only know how to fight, survive, and track things. I'm not a map for 'random forests we get forced inside of after shadow-traveling away from my insane dad.' Heck, I don't know."

"Ugh. Fine." He sighed, then rubbed his head. "I don't know. Don't you think it's time to find our way to camp?"

"No." She answered immediately. "Like I said, we can't risk going there. The hunters AND the gods would be expecting us to go there. You _know_ they're smarter than that."

"Yeah...well you're smarter." He smirked. "But yeah...you're probably right. It's just that I feel like we don't even have a real goal right now. I mean, is this just how it is? It's not like we can just run away from our problems...right?" He sighed.

Thalia knew without a doubt that he was right. They really _didn't_ have a goal. "Well, all we can do for now is just look forward to the future, no?"

"It's looking quite bleak if you ask me..."

Deep inside her, she agreed completely. They were fugitives, their love was forbidden, and they had nowhere to go that wasn't a trap, or a risk of being found. Even if this whole situation would blow over and they manage to survive, what would be left of the world for her and Nico? However, she didn't want to show that she felt as hopeless as he did. After all, she was the optimist of the two, so she forced out a small chuckle. "You're so negative. It's been a whole day and half a morning. Maybe some rest will cheer us up." she said trying to sound positive.

"Yeah...Yeah okay." he agreed.

After wandering around the endless woods for a long time, they found a small cave and improvised some giant leaves for substitute-beds. The cave was really dim, and their only source of light was the misty-blue shine from outside. Thalia had trouble sleeping from the cold. Her jacket was full of holes, and since leather followed the weather, it was like an extra layer of ice on top of her. She didn't even realize she was beginning to moan while shivering. Something heavy and warm landed on top of her gently.

"There. Is...that better?" Nico whispered. She faced him.

"Nico...you didn't have-"

He gazed at her so lovingly she didn't want to decline his gesture. "Oh...sorry, just trying to be romantic." He said, looking ashamed.

Thalia chuckled. "No no...It's okay, thank you. That was really sweet of you."

He smiled, then faced away from her. Thalia genuinely meant what she said about him being sweet. No guy had ever shown her such a loving gesture like he. With Luke, he would normally show her 'tough love' by making her create her own warmth. Nico however, was different. He showed that he cared through little things like this. He began to shiver.

"Nico, come closer. You don't have to be so...closed off. We're together now." She pulled him closer. He was hesitant at first, but eventually he obliged, and huddled together with her. They wrapped their arms around each other, hoping to protect from the brutal cold. He looked at her hesitantly.

"Thalia? Can I tell you something?" He said softly.

"Nico, come on. You can tell me anything. You can trust me."

"You remember the thing Poseidon said about Percy?" He asked.

"Oh yeah. What happened? What was that all about?"

Nico took a deep breath. "He knows...I...I-I"

"You...?"

"Never mind. I can't. Pssh, doesn't matter now anyway."

Thalia sighed. "Well...okay then. Just tell me when you're comfortable enough share it." She smiled at him, trying to reassure him. She gave him a kiss on the cheek. With that, they fell asleep.

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A big rumbling wind boomed outside. From inside the cave, Thalia could hear the loud, hollow booming. She instantly held Nico back, covering his mouth with her hand. "Don't." She said. He reequipped his Aviator's jacket, then drew his sword.

"What're you doing?" she asked worriedly. A haunting voice echoed through the cave.

_You can stop hiding now. I already know you're there. I can sense when there's love in the air._

"It's Favonious..." Nico said grimly.

" _Him again?_ What does he want?"

"Just...stay here." He warned.

"No! I'm not letting you do this on your own. Whatever it is you're doing, you are NOT going alone." She rebelled.

Nico swallowed a lump in his throat. "Okay...just, I don't want you to hear this."

Thalia couldn't put her finger on what was going on. What was he hiding that he was so ashamed of?

Thalia followed Nico out the cave. He trudged over shakily.

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Favonious leaned against a tree with an evil smile on his face, which only made her hate him more. Next to him was Ares, the god of war, he did NOT look happy. Certainly a brown-trouser moment. _And... you jinxed yourself._ She thought. Ares looked at them with pure bloodlust in his eyes. His spear and shield was already drawn. It seems that he was making a deal with Favonious.

"Nico Di Angelo." Ares started surprisingly calm. "You're lucky this is only between you and Cupid over here. But I promise you...I'm coming back." He gave Nico a sinister smile before disappearing into a circle of flames. Strangely enough, he didn't seem to be scared of Ares, but at Favonious.

"Ah yes...Thalia Grace, the daughter of Zeus," Favonious started. "and... _lover of Nico Di Angelo?_ I'm still surprised that his lover's a girl considering..."

Thalia wasn't sure what exactly he was insinuating. "Enough!" Nico snapped. "Why can't you just _let it go?_ I have Thalia now, so it doesn't matter!"  
Favonious turned into winds, rendering him nearly invisible. _Oh, but it DOES matter. It matters a lot to you. It means a lot_ as _to what SHE thinks, is that right?_ He chided.

Nico looked like he had just seen a ghost. "No...please...don't...I-...not again, not her too!"

_Oh so you beg for mercy? I'd like to remind you that love HAS NO MERCY. It is a never ending quest,_

"Leave him alone!" Thalia shouted. "He said it didn't matter! So it _doesn't!"_ she threatened.

 _Oh, but he seems to think that it matters, but not to himself...but to you.  
_ Favonious whizzed past them like a bullet, and upwards Thalia went. She hit the branches of several trees on the way up. She tried to save herself by controlling the wind, but he seemed to have more dominant control than her.

"Let her go!" Nico shouted, trying to slash at invisible wind.

_But I cannot, as it is actually...you...who's letting her go. You're letting her go, just by not sharing anything with her. You understood her pain, and now she needs to understand, YOU'RE pain. Will you allow her your most darkest pain, in order to save her? Or will you let her die, just so you can run from yourself again.  
_

Favonious sent Thalia flying through several trees. She grunted as she hit each one. She now lay sprawled on the remnants of tree branches. She looked down, and to her despair there was a branch impaled in her stomach.

"Thalia!" Nico cried in horror. He tried running towards her only to be lifted into the air as well, and thrown at trees. Thalia felt like she was going to have a panic attack. This was exactly like the throne room of Artemis, accept that this was just pure madness.

_There's no point in saving her if you will not be honest with her. You may as well just have her be dead, if she didn't know the truth._

Nico slammed into several other trees, getting bloodier with each collision. Favonious then encased him in winds, as if it were a floating coffin made of clouds. She wanted to scream, but all she managed was a few raspy groans. If she even attempted to speak, she would feel pain spread around her entire body.

_You see Nico, this would have been ALOT easier on you if you had just been honest with her...but unfortunately, you let your insecurities conquer you, and now, your fate is sealed._

Thalia summoned a bolt of lightning towards where she assumed Favonious was standing. It covered the entire vicinity with grey clouds and debris. The coffin subsided and Nico fell to the floor. He immediately grabbed his sword and stood up. He ran to Thalia's side, trying to pull her off of the branch. She screamed in pain as it grinded at her insides. He managed to yank her off of the branch, then quickly fed her ambrosia, healing the wound. She caught her breath. "Do you think it worked?" she asked weakly.

Something slammed into Nico again, and sent Thalia flying for the thousandth time. She hit another tree, meanwhile Nico got the wind knocked out of him.

_Nice try Daughter of Zeus. But that trick has been tried before, by a child of your same parentage.  
_

"Rrrr! Just leave her alone! Fight me! Let HER go!" Nico said with shame in his voice. Why wasn't he fighting back?

_Enough games! Are you going to tell her about Percy or not? Otherwise you're wasting my time. I can just end BOTH of you right now._

It finally made sense to Thalia now. The idea clicked to her and she could see now why Nico was so scared. She couldn't let him feel any more mental suffering so she decided to be straight up.

"Okay...I'll...I'll do it. Just...stop hurting her." Nico said, with anguish and despair in his voice. He was on the verge of tearing up. Favonious appeared in his true form again. He smiled sinisterly at Nico with satisfaction, like he had found another target. Nico faced Thalia.

"Thalia...I'm sorry I didn't tell you. But I don't want anyone to get hurt anymore because of me...I..." he paused, and buried his face into his hands.

"Nico...I know...I know exactly how you feel. You don't have to say it. I get it. You're like me..." Thalia said sympathetically.

_A grave decision for you to make Thalia Grace. Nonetheless...the truth will come out of him. But if you choose to get the truth out of him by choosing THAT route, I will hinder you no longer._

The look of Nico in severe mental suffering broke her heart. She could tell that he had already gone through this pain. It wasn't right, not even for the god of love to make him do this. But she knew what he was trying to do now. Cupid wanted him to let his secret out. She didn't want him let his secret out against his will. He had to be comfortable before letting it out, he had to be around people who he could trust. It was her destiny to make sure he wouldn't suffer emotionally again, so she decided that she would take the fall instead, and she knew how... She looked into Favonious' blood-red eyes, triggering her darkest and deepest thoughts...

The memories she had been forced to forget flashed through her eyes. Her travels with Annabeth and Luke, just barely surviving day to day with no home. She had broken up with Luke. Because it was way to risky for a relationship. Then he saw her dead amongst the pine tree in camp half-blood, never being able to see her friends again. She was dead, but alive, all she could see was the depths of Tartarus. She was alive, but halfway between Tartarus and the living world. The scene shifted brighter and then she was alive staring at the sun. The _Golden Fleece_ lay on her. She was in a random boy's arms, but the only thing she noticed was Annabeth with her beautiful blonde hair and her stormy-gray eyes. They were intense but her bright smile made up for it. The scene skipped over to her fighting her former friend and "sweet-heart," Luke. She thought she had killed him. That moment was the last moment she would ever fall in love. Then Annabeth came to her, to console her. Annabeth had supported her choice to join the hunters. From then on, Annabeth was the only one she kept in touch with in camp. She was the only one who she had any _real_ connections with at camp. The scene then shifted to the _Battle of Manhattan_ , the first Giant War. She was with Annabeth, Grover, and Percy. The world rumbled and out of instinct, she ran for Annabeth screaming her name as she pushed her and Percy away from a falling statue, sacrificing herself yet again...for Annabeth. That was unfortunately the last time she saw her. Until she came back and celebrated with camp again after the second giant war. She came back only to see Annabeth kissing Percy. She felt heartbroken and hurt, full of regrets for joining. _But the hunt gave me a family._ She thought. She couldn't just betray them, but Annabeth...

"I had a crush on Annabeth." Thalia spat. "There... **I** did it. Now, will that get you to leave him alone?" She glared at Cupid. Nico backed into a tree and buried his tear-filled face into his knees.

 _A fair decision child of Zeus. Not how I intended this to go... Regardless, his secret will come out to you. My work here is done._ Cupid disappeared into the winds.

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Immediately Thalia ran to comfort Nico. She embraced him in a hug. "I get it...I told you...you're like me." The thought that she had yet another thing in common with Nico made her chest well up. It told her that there was all the more reason to be with him.

Nico looked shellshocked. His expression was full of shock...shock and comfort, at the thought that he wasn't the only one who felt the pain of holding such a secret. "There's no need to be _ashamed_ Nico. I won't think of you any differently. Besides, as I've stated, I had a crush on Annabeth."

It surprisingly came out of her comfortably. Normally, she would destroy everything on sight before even thinking about her secret. But the fact that Nico had shared the same experience, made it all the more comfortable, and meaningful.

"I..." Nico started. Thalia stared at him with such solace that he seemed to get her message. _Don't worry...Just say it._ He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. Then he opened them and regained his composure. "And I had a crush on Percy." He said with a crooked smile on his face.

Under the pink, purple, and blue night sky, he met her eyes, and she met his. They exchanged affectionate smiles, and laughed. They were clearly meant for each other. They were the same.

This entire situation had ended pretty well...for now. She could tell that they were both thinking the same thing: This was a new awakening in their beautiful relationship...

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**Credit Song:** **New Awakening - Tempus Maximus**

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: The reason for me adding that little detail about Thalia was because this chapter is dedicated to my friend, who ships Thalibeth. It's my little nod to her as there aren't many fics about that ship, so I decided it was the least I could do. This is also dedicated to Bisexual Pride, hence the colors of the sky... I'm not one to demand reviews, so leave one if you want, if not, I'll be sad, but nonetheless, I'll keep writing. Although it's still nice to have a few though ;) *winky face* Also I hope I don't lose any viewers because of this chapter. I'm seriously scared, and if I do, I may as well just delete this story :'( welp...lemme know if you think it was right for me to add this little concept of thalia


	24. Arc 3 Chapter 4: Acceptance

**Thalia Grace (Camp Half-Blood Woods)**

How long would they have to wait until they're free to just be...alive? Thalia and Nico had been so worked up over surviving that they didn't even realize that it was already winter. Just one night ago they had been attacked by an old enemy, and exposed their secrets to one another. She always knew that one day she would have to reveal it. Thankfully it was with someone she trusted. Even though she had moved on from _her_ , she was still relieved that she could get it out of her chest. The less she carried, the less she was burdened.

Thalia was able to cope with it, due to having a family like the Hunters. Although, thinking about them gave her conflicted feelings. She was worried about Nico, who was still devastated after the night before, but she was also dying inside at the thought that her _family_ was practically going to kill them. She couldn't be angry at Nico though, she understood part of what he has been through.

Nico however, was different. He didn't seem to be able to accept himself. He sat there in their leaves and sticks, tent just staring glumly at a corner. He seemed to find slight comfort in knowing that they both shared the same secret, but other than that, he still seemed broken by their encounter with the love god. He hadn't spoke much accept for a few _okays,_ or _I'm fines._ He had told her that he didn't want to talk about it. So she didn't...until now.

Thalia decided that she would approach him about _it._ She wasn't sure how to, as he seemed to have changed. She decided to start sweet and simple. "Hey sweet bones. Are you okay?"

He turned to her, hopelessness clear in his expression. "What do you mean?"

"Come on. Please come out, I want to talk." She said, holding his hand as she led him out of the tent. That's when perfectly-timed rain began to pour.

"Ugh...what is it?" he asked with irritation and sadness clear in his voice. His eyes looked pink as if he had been crying.

"About...Cupid..."

"I said _DON'T. talk .about it."_ he replied coldly.

"Nico...It's okay. It's not a big deal. I'm the same as you, you don't have to be embarrassed." She said calmly. She braced for impact, expecting him to snap.

To her surprise, he just sighed sadly. "Thalia...don't you get it? It's over for us. We'll never belong now."

"What do you mean?"

"No one is going to accept such...abominations as us."

"Nico...No one is going to judge us for being born like... _this._ We're still people."

He let out another sigh, but this one was full of frustration. "I said that to myself already! I kept saying that! And you can keep saying that too! But you know what...? Deep down inside, you and I both know that no one will ever treat us the same. We'll never be treated as equal people." His voice was beginning to quiet down, and she could tell he was about to get teary-eyed again.

"Nico, why would you say that?" she said her voice filled with betrayal and dissapointment. "We're not... _abominations..._ we're just, people. People born with different traits."

"And that's all we'll ever be. People who were born differently. We'll always be ' _different.' "_ His head hung down lowly, with his hair hanging over his eyes. He seemed to be trying to hold back tears, as he was gritting his teeth really hard.

"Nico, you don't know that. Maybe you should take a risk and trust that they would support you. _I'll_ support you. In fact, I'll take that risk with you. We'll do it together..." she reassured him.

He breathed heavily, and she could tell the bitter was fading back into him "I already took that risk!" He snapped. "And you know what happened? _This._ "

Thalia was about to speak up, but she realized that he hadn't finished what he was saying.

"Now look at me...I'm the laughing stock of mockery to Poseidon, to Cupid,...and they're just a _few_ out of many gods."

"N...sweet bones, they're just gods. What they think doesn't-"

"No. You don't get it. We're dead. Do you hear me? We're not going to belong ANYWHERE. We can't go anywhere. We're dead. We've lost."

"I'm sure you're just overreacting. We won't die just because of _this._ Look," she sighed calmly. She felt like she was sneaking up on a pigeon: if she moved in too fast, he would fly away. "Let's just _keep_ moving, and go back to Camp. Our friends are there, and so is their support. Okay? I'll show you, no one will really care at all."

Thalia was really trying her best to stay optimistic about their situation, but Nico kept making it harder and harder.

"You don't GET IT! Being born how we were...that's a death sentence! Now the gods have even _more_ reason to kill us! Do you get that?! Any chances we had of being accepted are gone!" Nico snapped.

Thalia gave up on denying, and soon Nico's hopelessness began to consume her as well. She began to feel as hopeless as he. Maybe not even _'beginning_.' She had probably already _been_ hopeless, and she was only concealing it with a facade of happiness in order to sustain her lover's function. She felt her chest welling up. Maybe she would be just as much of a laughing stock as he, if she had told Annabeth, as he had told Percy.

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Thalia broke down crying. "...Why? You didn't _have_ to remind me! I KNOW I won't be accepted. I KNOW it's hopeless! You don't have to tell me that to my face!" she cursed, as she fell to her knees. Nico turned his back on her, and began to sob as well.

He sighed and regained his composure, although he still had some anger in him. " 'Why' You ask? _You_ tell me! Why did you tell him!? Now Cupid knows! And he's going to tell more! You ruined everything! I shouldn't have followed you!"

Thalia glared at him with tears in her eyes. "I did it for _you_! Why don't you realize that?!"

Nico's eyes widened with guilt of what he had said.

"Nico I _love_ you! I didn't want you to get hurt again, cause I KNOW! I KNOW that pain, and you...you just had to...you had to-" Her face was full of anguish as she buried her face into her hands.

Nico tried to comfort her. He wrapped his arms around her for a hug. "Thalia... I-I didn't mean-"

"Don't TOUCH ME!" she shouted, pushing him away. She wanted to run into the woods again, and leave him behind. But she couldn't find the mental strength or effort to stand.

"Gods...You really _shouldn't_ have followed me! Now I lost EVERYTHING! It's all your fault! Stupid boy!" she threw a punch at Nico, knocking him to the ground.

He stood back up with rage in his face. He charged at her tackling her to the ground. "You little...Pinecone face!" he shouted as he threw a punch at her face. Thalia then punched him back and began to wrestle with him in the mud. "Watch your mouth! Corpse Breath!"

Thalia eventually got the upperhand and had him pinned down. She began to mercilessly pound at his face. He grunted with pain after each hit. She had landed at least six punches until he caught her fist and punched at her chest. Unfortunately for her, she wasn't a superhuman god like Apollo, so his trick actually worked. She didn't let up though, and landed one more punch at his throat before coughing excstatically.

Thalia sprawled on the floor and coughed out blood while wheezing. Nico tried to stand, but only managed to crouch on one knee. He wasn't coughing out blood, but he was definently having a breathing attack as he coughed violently while holding his throat. Thalia looked at the blood flow through the mud as the rain washed it away.

Thalia looked into Nico's heartbroken eyes. She couldn't tell which ones on his face were tears or rain. "I...I can't..." He started, being interrupted by another cough. "Thalia...why are we _fighting?"_ Her eyes widened with regret.

"I'm sorry Nico." She croaked. "I'm sorry. You're all I have left." She broke down again.

Nico tried his best to crawl to her, stumbling, and slipping on the way. He pulled her into his arms, and she accepted his comfort. For the first time...Nico was the one comforting Thalia instead.

They buried their faces into each other's shoulders. "No. I'M the one who should be sorry. I shouldn't have hurt you. _You're_ all _I_ have left..." He let out a breath into her shoulder.

Thalia's face was still flowing with tears. "You're right though...It's hopeless now..." she muttered.

"No it's not. I was being stupid when I said that." he started. He met her electric-blue eyes. "Thalia, I should've realized, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. Please..." he begged. His voice was full of true sorrow and regret. "Please...you're all I have left! I love you!"

Thalia screamed with misery into his chest. "It's okay...It's okay..." he said, consoling her. He held her tight and for once, she didn't want to let go. She wanted to stay in his warm body. Her sobs began to turn into hiccups.

When they both finally calmed down, Thalia spoke. She looked into his abyssal-black eyes. "Even if the gods, or anyone out there wouldn't accept us...we'll still have each other. We don't have to be accepted by anyone except for ourselves. Love is still love." She smiled at him.

To her surprise, Nico smiled back. "Yeah...you're right. Who cares what anyone thinks. We love each other, so forget them. Forget the gods, our parents, our friends..."

Thalia kissed him, as the rain washed all the dirt out of their faces. She then pulled him to lay down next to her. "Just come here." They stared up at the rainy gray clouds. Nico slipped his hand under hers.

"You know...even when we have nothing...we will always have our love..." Nico said to her sweetly.

Thalia knew he was right about one thing. Even if there was nothing to live for, they could always _live for love._

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 **Credits Song: ** **Live for Love - Mattia Cupelli**

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi TIM/TJ Akira & ThePaperTiger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	25. Arc 3 Chapter 5: Falling Down

**Thalia Grace (Camp Half-Blood Woods)**

The dreams she'd had during her isolation underwater left Thalia scarred for life. She wondered how long they would have to suffer until they finally met their destiny. She almost hoped that _that day_ would come already, where the big three gods engage in an all-out war. At least then, they wouldn't have to suffer anymore. Or even better, the gods would kill each other and leave her and Nico alone.

Those were dark thoughts, but she was so tired and worn out she just wanted it to be over already. She just wanted an answer as to whether they would be able to live happily ever after or not. All they could do sadly, was just delay the inevitable: Survive, and run. Survive, and run.

Since their little incident during the rain, they had been more happy and sincere with living for each other. Thalia was gradually finding herself a reason to keep fighting. The past few days, they had been working as a team. They had their routine going : Nico shadow travels, stops, then rests on Thalia while she flies them as far as they can. Then they repeat the pattern over and over.

Occasionally they came across the few odd monster here and there. Although something did seem off. Every time they encountered a monster, they would come back with even higher density. It was a good and bad thing; It was bad for the obvious reason, but it was good because it was a sign that they were getting closer to camp half-blood. It felt almost like someone was watching them...

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After stopping near a river to wash off their clothes, Nico and Thalia sat down on a tree next to each other, both feeling exhausted and hungry. Thalia turned to Nico, who looked scared for her.

"I...I can't fly us anymore." She breathed heavily.

"It's okay. Maybe we can just walk the rest of the way." He looked down at his hands nervously.

"You can't shadow-travel us there?"

"No...I mean yes...Well..no I...just give me a second okay." He stuttered.

"Nico, is everything okay?" She asked worriedly.

Nico turned away from her, muttering unaudible curses. He kept patting around his body, as if trying to make sure he could feel. Thalia walked up to him and grabbed his shoulder. He immediately jumped away from her.

"Nico... are you hiding something? What's wrong?"

"No...NO...please...not NOW!" He muttered while holding his hand as he turned his back on her.

Thalia rushed up to Nico and forced him to turn around.

"Nico. Just tell-" She gasped in horror.

He looked horrified. He breathed hysterically as he stared at his hands. They were steaming and blinking rapidly. He seemed to be fading away into the shadows. His hands were almost transparent.

"Oh my gods..." Thalia muttered.

Nico sighed sadly. "It happens to me when I shadow-travel too much...I didn't tell you. I didn't want you to worry."

"Nico...we could've stopped and rested. We could've just walked it here. You didn't have to-"

"I know...I just wanted to get us somewhere safe sooner." He said regretfully.

Thalia sighed. "Come on. Let's get going then. We need to find someone who can-"

"Will...Will Solace. He knows how to handle these kinds of things. He's from the Apollo cabin back in Camp Half-Blood, he can help us."

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Thalia followed Nico as he led the way. Occasionally, his sword kept falling through his chained belt. There were other times where Thalia let him walk straight through trees while he wasn't looking. It gave herself a few laughs and a few glares from Nico. He didn't seem to really care at all though, as he took comfort in making her smile.

Even though they had traveled so far for so long, they didn't even seem to be getting any progress through the endless woods. Thalia heard strange noises getting louder and closer each time. _Okay. Now I KNOW something is following us._ she thought.

"Nico...stop. Get down." She ordered, pulling him behind a fallen tree.

"What is-"

"Shut up." She held her hand over his mouth.

Thalia would of suspected that he could figure out by her actions that she was trying to keep them hidden. But she was then reminded that he wasn't disciplined like a hunter. Duh...of course he wouldn't understand. She began to miss little things like this with her former 'family.'

Thalia heard lots of loud not-so-discreet whispering coming from above. She looked at the large branches of the trees to reveal that there were dozens of silhouettes standing atop. The darkness made them look black, only revealing glowing eyes. They were surrounded by the hunters.

"Oh no... Nico we-" an explosion interrupted her words, separating them in black smoke. She wanted to find Nico and run them out of there but the gas was too painful for her lungs. She could feel the burning inside of her chest. Out of instinct, she dived out of the gas range and ran into the woods. She could still hear Nico's coughing from a distance.

 _Oh no._ she thought. Thalia saw Nico sprawled on the floor and trying to crawl out of the gas zone. A hunter attacked him and attempted to knock him out with her bow. He managed to counter her and knocked her out instead. He looked up to see a line of hunters aiming bows at him.

"Nico! Run!" Thalia cried out. She sprinted towards him.

Nico jumped out of the way of another explosive arrow. He then crawled for the bow of the unconcious hunter. Another arrow landed right next to his hand as he reached his hand out for the bow.

Thalia was sprinting as fast as she could. When she was about halfway towards him, an arrow sunk into her shoulder. Two hunters were right at her tail. She winced in pain as the arrow beeped. She reacted by pulling the arrow out of her shoulder and throwing it at one the hunters just as it exploded. The latter flew into a tree, as the second one tackled her to the ground.

Nico ran for cover as another hail of arrows shot at him. He was barely able to dodge the arrows as they sunk into the tree he hid behind. The hunters jumped from their trees and onto the ground level. They charged for him. He reacted by charging for the explosive bow.

Meanwhile, Thalia was still trying to get the stubborn girl off of herself. The hunter pulled out a dagger and tried to impale her. She slid her head to the side, barely dodging it. As the latter was distracted by her dagger stuck on the ground, Thalia took the opportunity to headbutt her, knocking her unconcious. Out of instinct, she took the bow from the unconcious hunter, and an explosive arrow.

Nico was dangerously close to the sprinting pack of hunters. Thankfully, he was able to retrieve the bow and an explosive arrow. The hunters did a battlecry which made him flinch. He notched the arrow into the bow, just as one of them pinned him down.

He struggled with the hunter as three more pinned him down, grabbing ahold of his limbs. Thalia shot down three of the attackers leaving only one left. Nico struggled with the last hunter, wrestling with her. Thalia aimed her bow at the last attacker, but then lowered her weapon when Nico got in the way of her aim. The latter then had him trapped in a chokehold, facing Thalia's aim range.

"Zapp it!" She cursed. She dropped the bow and sprinted towards Nico, who was still about fifty yards away from her.

Nico struggled and flailed around under his attacker's arms. He tried to pry her arms off of him, but she just shook him around, making him lose his grip. His face turned blue as he flailed around desperately for a weapon.

Thalia felt a sharp pain in her thigh, knocking her to the ground. She looked to her right to see more hunters positioned on top of the branches of trees. Her thigh had an arrow protruding from inside. She managed to use the last of her strength to summon a bolt of lighting to topple down several trees, incapacitating the attackers.

Nico stopped flailing around for a weapon and decided to draw his sword instead. The hunter tried to shake his sword away, but he managed. He readied his sword at his side to thrust it into his captor's stomach.

While all that was happening Thalia tried to stand up, only to fall back down as her injured leg gave out. She glanced at Nico, who seemed to have it handled. She pulled out the arrow from her thigh, with much pain in the process. She desperately crawled for Nico.

He readied his sword to impale it into his captor. The sword then phased through his transparent hand and dropped to the floor.

 _No..._ She thought. she tried to stand, only to fall down to the excruciating pain.

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An explosion seemed to come from out of nowhere, throwing Thalia through a tree. The explosion also sent Nico and his captor flying. Thankfully, his attacker cushioned his fall, rendering her unconcious. He coughed violently and grabbed his sword.

When Thalia's vision cleared she saw a glowing orange aura around a brawny silhouette. Ares.

Several more hunters appeared along the tops of the trees. They all readied their bows to unleash a hail of arrows towards her and Nico.

"Hold on! Let the chaos...wait a little bit." Ares clenched his fist in the air to signal a _cease fire_ gesture. All the hunters flinched, but then regained their composure and lowered their weapons.

Ares approached an angry looking Nico. He then held him up by the shirt. There was a crazy lust in his eyes.

"Get away from him!" Thalia yelled. With her temporary adrenaline rush, she was able to launch a dagger at Ares' head.

He simply lifted his hand and caught it without even looking. He let out a laugh as he threw it away. Then he turned to face Nico, who was still struggling under his grasp.

"Son of Hades..." he started, "I warned you we would meet again." He let out another maniacal laugh.

"Yeah...lucky me..." Nico replied sarcastically.

"What do you say to us, finishing this fight? Yes?"

"Yeah..." Nico started.

Ares grinned with satisfaction. "So...when should we start the next duel?"

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"...when I decide to revisit Tartarus." Nico finished.

Ares roared in frustration, exploding several nearby trees. Thalia panicked and immediately drew her spear and shield. She stood up to attack him only to be knocked back down, as he threw Nico into her.

"You see Di Angelo...This would've been so much easier for you, if you'd have just agreed for a one on one fight." Ares raised his hand and gestured at the hunters to fire.

"Fire at will! Do anything you can to stop them!" He shouted.

Ares then began to spin his spear in a windmill-like motion, rumbling the ground as he approached her and Nico.

Arrows flew around her and miraculously missed them as she tried to shake Nico from his daze. "Come on! We have to run! There's no way out of this!" He stood up weakly, then helped Thalia to her feet as fast as he could. He put her arm around his shoulder, supporting her weight.

They began to limp away as fast as they could go, barely dodging more arrows. Ares seemed to be approaching faster and faster, knocking down several more trees on the way.

"Thalia. We have to do it." Nico said weakly.

"Wait what...? Do what?" she asked worriedly.

"We have to shadow-travel."

"No! We can't risk it! Look I can fly us-

"You and I BOTH know that they'll just shoot us down. Come on it's our only option."

"No! Don't! You might lose your essence. Let's just find somewhere to-" Thalia was interrupted as another tree fell in their way.

Ares was dangerously close to them. More hunters appeared and readied their bows. All the tips of the arrows seemed to be blinking, which was a sign that they were all using explosives.

"I'm gonna do it!" Nico yelled.

"NO! DO NOT! I can't risk losing you! What if you don't survive through this-"

A hail of explosive arrows flew towards them along with a deadly war god with a windmill death trap. Nico immediately pulled Thalia into his shoulder as they faded into the shadows.

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Thalia phased out from a shadow alone. She began to panic as she stood back up. Nico was nowhere to be seen. She fell to her knees speechless. _You shouldn't have done it._ Just as she finished her thought she heard a struggled yell coming out of the shadows behind her. She gasped.

Nico was struggling to phase out of the shadow hole. He grunted with effort until Thalia physically pulled him out. They landed on top of each other in an awkward position. Nico blushed.

"Um...-" He started, only to be interrupted by a slap.

"Don't ever scare me like that again!" She yelled, making him flinch in the process.

He looked at her blankly. "Well...I _am_ the son of-" Thalia hugged him so tight that he didn't seem to be able to breathe.

"I'm just...so glad we're okay." Thalia sighed happily.

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Thalia drew her shield and deflected a golden arrow, from Nico. He immediately drew his sword, while she drew her spear. They stood back to back.

In front of Nico was a teenage-looking girl wearing a silver hood, and hunter camoflauges. Her eyes were the color of the moon. Her bow was trained at him, but she ceased fire. Artemis.

Thalia was facing someone else. The person she faced was someone she was _not_ happy to see. He had blonde hair, with blue eyes, and wore a camp half-blood tshirt, and jeans. He had an even crazier expression than before. He also wielded a bow. Apollo.

"AHAHAHAHA! Hehe...I'll be free! Isn't it great sister!" Apollo laughed disturbingly.

"Shut up." Artemis replied. She turned to look Nico in the eyes. "You fell right into the trap. How I expected of you...stupid boy."

"M'lady! Why are you doing this?!" Thalia asked, shocked.

"I'm sorry my lieutenant. This has to happen. You know the rules. Any hunter who intentionally breaks the vow, must be punished." Artemis said coldly.

"You aren't sorry..." Nico said coldly.

"Not for _you_ of course...you're a _boy_." She looked at Thalia."But I'm sorry to you my lieutenant, I know it hurts, but it must be done. I cannot risk this boy hurting more of my hunters. I will rid of this monster...then-" Artemis replied sympathetically.

Apollo laughed hysterically. "Then comes your 'punishment.' " He looked at Thalia with a notsohotanymore expression in his face. He winked at her, making her want to barf again. "Father says I can take _you_ as a prize, as well as letting me free. He says this is my last chance. Ahahaha!"

"Ugh...yes yes. That's...your punishment... unfortunately. So I'm sorry for that as well."

"Like Nico said...you aren't sorry." Thalia replied coldly.

She knew it was a stupid idea to talk to gods/goddesses like that, but she couldn't help but feel so betrayed. She realized that she and Nico were in NO condition to fight. Both of them were barely able to stand, and she had infuriated two divine beings. Immediately she regretted her decision. It was clear they had finally met the end of their journey.

"JUST DIE!" Apollo yelled, as he and Artemis released a rain of arrows at them.

Everything turned black.

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**Credit Song:** **Devics- Salty Seas (Instrumental)**

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: No btw, that's not the ending to this story. lol. Also I noticed that I've lost more viewers since that ...certain chapter with Thalia's other crush. So I'm sorry if I screwed up the story, as it seems to be going downhill as it progresses. Maybe I should stop and discontinue? Idk...Anyways see you guys next chapter.


	26. Arc 3 Chapter 6: Tragedy or Romance?

**Nico (Nearing Camp Half-Blood)**

Nico didn't ever want to scare her, but he could sense _it_ since their last encounter with Favonious. Every night since then, he could feel their deaths coming closer and closer, each buzzing in his head got louder and louder as the days went by, and drove him crazy to the point where he'd shouted at Thalia, nearly causing a fight. He knew they were destined to die. But not yet...

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Nico immediately dropped to the floor as soon as he saw arrows fly. Everything turned black, and a clash of metal meeting metal pierced his ears.

"Agh! I'm hit!" Thalia yelped from behind him.

He lifted his head up, as the wall of black energy around them subsided. As the ringing in his ears cleared along with his blurry vision, it revealed a man in black armor with a disturbing helmet that shape-shifted. Hades. He had his double-edged stygian iron sword drawn.

"F-Father?" Nico muttered in shock. Thalia fell to the floor right next to him and shielded his body with hers.

"U-Uncle Hades?" Apollo started, worriedly. "What are you doing? Why did you come...?" He paused, then began to wail. "Oh nonono! Did you come to punish me too?!"

"Calm down! Just calm down!" Artemis yelled at him. She faced the lord of the dead. "Uncle Hades, Stand aside!"

"Not going to happen." He snarled.

"Stand aside. _You_ of all people, _know_ about broken oaths!" She said, training her bow at Hades.

"Yes, those who have broken oaths, must not escape punishment." He glanced at Thalia. "However, I'll destroy the world before I let divine children of my rival burden the happiness of my child."

Nico felt like crying tears of joy. It wasn't the right moment to feel that way, but he never thought that his father cared about him. Now that he showed it, he felt a flood of emotions coming all at once inside of him. The one time his father showing he cared, and he was about to sacrifice himself. _Thanks a lot world._ he thought.

"F-Father...don't...this isn't your business." He almost begged, but it still sounded cold and formal on the outside. His usual habit when talking to his father. He felt Thalia shivering on him.

"Stand. DOWN." Artemis demanded.

"You KNOW I cannot. Not after the many things your father has put my children through." Hades seemed to be getting angrier as he spoke.

Apollo's eyes widened with fear. "No! No! Please! I don't want to be imprisoned again!" he begged. Nico almost felt bad for him, as he seemed like a normal teenage demigod. Not to mention he had went partially insane from imprisonment, just like he had.

"Shut up and fight! It's all we can do to save ourselves. Now are you ready my twin?" Artemis taunted Apollo.

"Do not demand him to do dirty works of such a corrupt pack."

"A corrupt pack?! You're the lord of the _dead._ " Artemis chided.

A series of bickering, insulting, and pleads from Apollo Artemis and Hades went around. Their arguing was almost terrifying. Nico pulled Thalia in tight, just in case. Hades' yelling got louder and louder.

"I have yet to face a time when people of the dead are not discriminated! I will not stand for this! Your Father and uncle Poseidon can isolate me all they want. But you won't be causing anymore pain to us without feeling...MY...WRATH!" Just as Hades' black flames began to erupt from anger, a flash of lightning rumbled the entire vicinity. He wasn't sure if the trembling was cause by Hades or the lightning...or both.

Out of the flash of lightning, came Zeus and Poseidon, walking as if to rein down destruction at any movement. It was clear in their expression that they were furious.

Hades backed up next to Nico and Thalia. "Go. Take care of him. No matter what happens, get yourself, and him to camp. Warn them that this may be the end of the world. I have to settle, a...family conflict with my brothers. Now go..." He whispered to the daughter of Zeus. "I-I will." She muttered.

Thalia stood up with Nico, but almost fainted. He caught her and put her arm over his shoulder, and his arm around her waist. Her breathing was raspy, she struggled to stand, and her eyes were cringed with physical pain.

"Father please. Just, don't die." Nico pleaded.

"Nico, we're all about death. Now go, your time is short, and we only have moments." He seemed to be forming a smile.

"As always." For once Nico didn't mean what he said in an insulting way, but rather in an assuring way.

"Brother! You know damn well that we cannot allow such an imbalance of powers!" Zeus boomed.

"And where does that leave _me?_ A child of Zeus and Hades together, and where does that leave _my_ power struggle?" Poseidon shouted.

"Hades! Stand aside and let my children proceed with their duty. Or so be it, I'll stop you by force." Zeus threatened.

"May as well, you have already destroyed everything for me and left me in the dark. May as well finish what was started." Hades said with bitterness in his voice.

"Don't go on and act like _you're_ lost Poseidon! I have been betrayed and I'm in a crisis with my OWN hunters!" Artemis shouted.

"No! PLEEEEEEASEEEEE!" Apollo began to cower along with all the shouting.

Nico and Thalia began to trudge through the woods as they heard lots of unreadable shouting arguing and begging. The world began to rumble as the big three assumed their true forms, all hundreds of feet tall. The world quaked badly as the gods engaged in a battle that would probably end the world. Thalia and Nico stumbled and fell as they desperately fled the scene. Nico kept glancing back hoping that his father was going to be okay.

A rain of explosions destroyed the woods, all made of lightning and dark energy. A big black shadow covered half the woods. Nico looked up to see a giant Tsunami reached hundreds of miles into the sky from the ground. A series of flying underworld monsters, flew towards the target who was assumed to be Poseidon, but they were easily engulfed by the waves. Nico's eyes widened at the realization that his father had possibly reopened the doors of death.

The lightning and large rains of water, arrows, and sun radiation, destroyed virtually everything. But still, no sign that his father was fighting back. He may have even been destroyed by the tidal waves or lightning. Nico felt no death sense, but he brushed it aside as he wouldn't ever be able to feel the death of the lord of dead. He knew he was most likely dead. Just like that...his father was gone.

Nico leaned Thalia against a tree, and started running back. "Father! Father!" He cried out hysterically. "Father!" He could feel his eyes stinging. He kept crying out hopelessly. Thalia stood up and managed a fast walk towards Nico. She held him back from running as he kept calling out for his father. "Nico...we have to go..." She managed to mutter.

"No! Let go of me!" He begged trying to escape her grip. Unfortunately Thalia was much stronger physically, despite her weak, injured condition.

"I promised him..." She coughed. "I promised him I'd get you to camp." She grabbed hold of Nico who was slowly giving up on fighting back.

"Father! Father!" His voice began to lower, with a soft melancholy. "Dad..." He buried his face into Thalia's shoulder as she carried him into the skies. The last thing that was witnessed of the scene was an explosion of lighting spreading across the forest, just barely missing them.

"Dad..."

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Thalia flew them as far from the scene as she could. Once they were out of the blast radius of the battle, she ran out of energy, and they fell into the woods, with their fall being softened only by branches and leaves. He landed with a thud alongside Thalia who didn't seem to be able to move. She lay on the ground face down.

The buzzing in Nico's head got louder, and it punched at his brain. He knew it was a sign that they were closing in on their deaths, and their time was soon. Still, he wanted to deny it.

He screamed in pain at the violent throbbing in his head. He tried to stand, only to fall to his knees from the excruciating pain. He grabbed his head and screamed uncontrollably. It felt like minutes of non-stop pain until it began to ease. When it did ease, he felt blood dripping from his nose. He lay on his back and tried to catch his breath. Thalia crawled to him, grunting as she struggled with her remaining strength.

Once Nico caught his breath, he tried to help Thalia up, but she didn't seem to be able to stand. She only managed to hang on his shoulder limply before falling to the ground again.

"Thalia! Come on! We have to get to camp right?! Get up! Please!" He begged her. She began coughing rapidly, blood coming out of her mouth.

"Nico..." she croaked. "Sweet bones...I can't stand, my muscles...I'm...I'm sick." He looked down at her bleeding leg where one of Artemis' or Apollo's arrows had hit her. His eyes widened with shock.

"No...No no! You can't be sick! You're a hunter!" He denied.

Nico leaned Thalia against the tree. "Nico...listen-" She was interrupted by another brutal cough. "Don't talk...just...just uh... just relax." He whispered. He tried to pull the arrow out but his hand kept phasing through the darn thing. He kept trying to pull it out, but each time he got a hold of it, his hand chose to phase through.

"Nico...Don't. Just stop." Thalia demanded weakly.

"Shut up! We'll be okay! Just..." He kept trying again, only to launch himself backwards when his hand phased through again. He eventually gave up, and grunted with frustration. He crawled next to her side. "How the Hades did all this happen?!"

"Nico-Sweet bones...don't you get it?" She pulled him in closer. Despite her tears flowing down, she was smiling at him. "This is how it was meant to be..."

"No-What? What do you mean?" He asked in denial.

"Aphrodite...she told me. We were destined to die. It was going to happen either way." She smiled at him with pain clearly in her eyes.

"How could you say that?! We're not...we're just dead people. We're _more_ than that!" He kept denying it but he knew it was true. He had lived by the saying 'I make my own destiny.'

"You're right, we're not just dead _people_." She coughed violently again. "We're dead _lovers_."

"NO! Don't say another word! We. can. make it." He denied one last time.

"Stop! Angelo, Just stop! Don't you get it?" She sighed. "With your essence fading, and my maidenhood immunity lacking. We're going to die either way, we're ticking time bombs. I can't even move my muscles. I caught Tetanus. I'm going to die soon. _We're_ going to die soon."

Thalia was right, and Nico knew it. The buzzing had taunted him long enough, and he broke down, no longer being able to deny it. He wailed into Thalia's shoulder. Eventually, she joined in with the mourning.

"Nico Di Angelo, I love you so much!" Thalia screamed with all her effort. Her smile faded away as she cried with him in pain.

"I love you too Thalia Grace..." He said to her, possibly being the last words he would get the chance to say. He leaned in for their potentially last kiss.

It took him a while to realize that they were already on the top of a hill in camp half-blood, but he didn't care to notice, as all that mattered now was this last and final heartfelt moment. Thalia and he were leaning on the tree that protected camp half-blood. Her tree that she had once died on. The world around them looked like chaos. The endless trees in the forest was burning with a wildfire, he meadows were burned, the trees were crushed, the air was polluted, and the skies were red. The entire battlefield showed a numerous amount of chaos going on. The Greek and Roman demigods were fighting off loads of sea monsters, underworld monsters, Sky spirits, and much more, but they were slowly losing. A group of familiar faces were fighting alongside with Percy Jackson, defending the camp from monsters. Practically everyone he knew was there: The seven, Will Solace, the rest of his old companions. All of them were beaten and tattered up from the war. The Big three gods were engaging in a destructive battle of earthquakes, lightning, and tsunamis. Zeus was trying to fight for dominance to cope with his power struggle. Poseidon was trying to protect his son, Percy, who fought alongside the Greeks. Numerous other gods seemed to be trying to pacify the big three, only destroying the world with their powers in the process. Leo Valdez, who seemed confused like he'd come back from vacation, rode his mechanical dragon above Poseidon's Kraken, blasting it with fire over and over.

The world was practically on fire at every distant view, and it didn't matter to him, all that mattered, was this kiss. He closed his eyes.

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Thalia gasped in horror. She pointed behind Nico.

He looked back to find another face he didn't like.

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In a puff of smoke, appeared Ares, wearing black jeans, combat boots, a leather duster, and muscle shirt with a bulletproof vest (his shield in disguise) and an iron padlock necklace. He wore red tinted wraparound sunglasses to cover his flame-filled eye sockets. A ring of fire engulfed him, then extinguished, revealing him in gold Greek battle armor a gold med-helm with a red mo-hawk and a red cape. The visor of his helmet was pitch-black, revealing nothing except his firey eyes, but he could tell that he was grinning like a madman who enjoyed violence. He pointed his spear at Nico challengingly.

"I say it one more time..." Ares started. "I told you we would meet again." He grinned with madness.

Nico stood there in only his pathetic worn out aviator jacket, tattered black jeans, chained belt, and hole-filled black skull t-shirt... but he never felt more ready for a fight than he did now. He drew his black Stygian iron sword for the last time.

"Haven't you heard?" Ares chided. "You were _destined_ to die. So why keep fighting?"

"I make my _own_ destiny." Nico challenged. He glanced over at Thalia who was paralyzed from the waist under.

He could hear her whisper faintly before going unconscious, 'You can do it... _Soldatino'  
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"So be it Child of Hades. It just means you will die slower. Oh well, more violence for me." Ares' grin was maleficent.

He turned to face the god of war.

"Thalia...if you can hear me... I'm going to change our destiny. I'll turn this _tragedy,_ into a _love story_. We WILL have our happy ending. I promise you." He breathed in hard and summoned all his anger.

With that, he and the god of war clashed.

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**Credit Song/Chapter Reading song:** **Chaos- Mattia Cupelli**

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	27. Arc 3: Ending 1

**Author's Note:** **Here's some battle music** **suggestions for you:** **Halo 4** **-Didact Theme (Revival), Or Attack on Titan Fight theme, or Attack on Titan: Eren's Berserk Theme  
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**((( THIS IS THE SAD ENDING {If you want the happy one go to Chapter 28} ))))**

**Although obviously, it's best to find music that you feel is right. These are JUST suggestions if you don't know any...anyway... here we go...**

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**Nico Di Angelo (Camp Half-Blood {deteriorating})**

Nico Di Angelo was given a choice of choosing between two sides. He had to choose either Percy; the blind love that was never meant to be, or Thalia; the love that was destined for Tragedy...he chose tragedy... and he couldn't be any happier with his choice.

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Nico stood there face to face with the God of War; their weapons locked together. From the top of their hill, they could see the battle of demigods, monsters, and gods raging onward. He and Ares stood at the highest point in Camp Half-Blood; Thalia's tree.

Nico struggled with his strength sapping as the god of war began to gain the upper hand. He pushed with all his might, but there was no way he would match up to the physical strength of a god.

"What do you say we finish this duel how it was meant to end...?" Nico started. "To the death."

Nico ducked under Ares' weapon and tackled him down the smoldering hill of Thalia's tree, sending them both toppling into the middle of the chaos.

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Ares was lost in the crowd of monsters and demigods, but he knew he was somewhere nearby as he heard a lot of screaming, which most likely came from people cowering at the god of war.

Nico slashed down two more monsters as if they were nothing. They kept coming and coming, but still, no sign of Ares. "Come on..." he whispered to himself. "Where are you?"

Suddenly demigods and monsters alike started shifting in the fighting mob, and out came the god of war. Even in the midst of battle, everyone backs away at his sight.

"It won't be so easy this time Death boy. I'm on my own territory now...the battlefield of war!" Ares smiled at him sinisterly. "I CONTROL EVERYTHING!"

Nico began to charge just as two catapults fired. They were intended to hit the Kraken, but Ares seemed to be able to manipulate it. The ballistic boulders from the catapult suddenly changed course and flew towards Nico, throwing him off guard.

Nico quickly used his geokinesis to stop the flying boulders, just barely being able to push them a few inches the opposite direction. It took lots of physical strength.

He lifted his head up and saw dozens of catapults aline at the top of half-blood hill. Ares raised his hand in the air and the catapults suddenly started moving, aiming at him. The demigods that were manning the catapults tried to stop it from moving, but it wouldn't budge. One of them yelled "Hey, who's doing that?" as Ares positioned the weapons to aim at Nico.

He gestured his hand forward and a hail of flaming boulders rained down Nico's vicinity. He had no choice but to encase himself in a large rock made of obsidian.

As one of the flaming boulders hit the stone casing, shattering it, Nico flew and fell on his back. Gas and dust lingered in the air as he blinked the stars out of his eyes.

Nico who was just beginning to stand back up, was welcomed to the sight of an armored maniac falling from the sky with his shield and spear drawn to impale him.

As Ares closed in on the ground, Nico rolled out the way. His spear thrust into the floor, cracking the ground with such impact, it sent Nico flying back several feet.

Ares was so fast that he was able to stand up immediately, and leap towards Nico again with his spear raised. He shook the stars out of his eyes, as he looked up.

"Oh stix!" Nico yelped as he rolled out of the way. Ares ended up face-planting.

"OWWWWWWW!" He yelled, grabbing his bleeding nose through his pitch-black helmet. He stood back up, stumbling around dizzy.

Nico took the opportunity to attempt a strike at him. He raised his sword and charged him, only to be swatted away like a fly, by Ares' spear. He flew through several monsters and armory stands.

He shook his daze off and wiped dirt off of himself. The monsters around him didn't seem to be focusing on him, and just continued to roam around attacking other demigods. He decided it was best to just hide among the chaos.

Ares trudged around warily in the middle of the battlefield. Every being around him, inched away as he walked.

_Come on DEATHBOY! Fight me! Let me show you what TRUE DEATH is!_ Ares' voice boomed all around the battlefield. _I know you're angry...come on. Don't you want to kill me? Look what I've made you go through._

Nico remained silent, trying to keep a low profile, behind the crowd of fighting.

Ares stabbed another monster, and kicked its essence away. _Come on! Show yourself! Show me what death is!_ He snapped his fingers and a ring of explosives set off, toppling over multiple columns into the battlefield. Several monsters and demigods were pinned under the debris. Sadly, he couldn't do anything to help.

Ares certainly did have an effect on people's attitude in war. Nico began to feel the hatred and anger growing stronger as he heard the screams of demigods dying. _No..you promised._ He refrained from exploding, and calmly drew his sword.

_And here we are..._

Nico sprinted from out of the crowd, and engaged Ares in a sword vs spear fight. Ares spun his spear with vicious strikes in between. It was like fighting a moving weed whacker. All of his moves were dangerously fast. Maybe he was even faster than back at the Colosseum, due to him being in his own territory.

Nico was barely able to parry his moves. Ares lifted his spear again, and it ignited with flames. He had no choice but to attempt to block the next strike. Even if he dodged he would still be caught by the flames, so he lifted his sword up and braced for impact as Ares spear clashed with his sword.

He successfully blocked the spear, locking weapons with the god of war. Stuck in the weapon lock, Ares stunned Nico by bashing his shield.

Nico was then kicked back, flying several feet into the slant of half-blood hill, nearly having fractured his ribs. He coughed out blood, stumbling as he tried to stand back up.

_Feeling angry yet? Do you feel that surge of blood lust? Go on, follow it! It makes you stronger._ Ares chided.

Ares began to spin his spear like a firey windmill: his favorite move. He marched forward as the ground was being sliced under his spinning spear.

Nico tried to regain his balance only to keep stumbling and falling each time. Ares' spear caused such a strong tremor as he get closer, that Nico was thrown off his feet again and again, as he attempted to back away. He laughed cruelly as he marched forward.

Nico was really beginning to feel irritated. He didn't like being thrown around like he'd been by Favonious, and he certainly didn't like seeing a bad memory twice. A small portion of anger crawled inside him, triggering an adrenaline rush. He suddenly felt more violent.

Nico charged at Ares, launching chunks of stones at Ares as he sprinted forward. The stones were easily blocked by the spinning spear, but they certainly had some kind of effect. He began to slow down as the spinning windmill clogged each stone.

Nico watched everything in slow motion as he launched one more rock to slow down the spear, locked his sword, and was able to successfully block the spear all in one swift motion.

_Yes! AHAHAHA! FIGHT ME FIGHT ME FIGHT ME!_ Ares laughed maniacally as Nico began to parry and block each of the strikes more efficiently. Ares lifted his spear to stab him, but he easily dodged the weapon, by leaning backwards as it skinned his forehead. He sliced upwards with his sword, slashing his chest, and disarming his shield in the process.

Ares stumbled back as he grabbed his bleeding wrist. "Rrrrrr." He grumbled.

Nico marched forward, and slashed an intercepting monster without even looking. Ares looked up and smirked.

_Yes! Get angry! Join in the chaos!_

Ares spun his spear in a three-sixty motion around his body, before slashing at Nico again. He easily slashed it aside, and kicked Ares back. He looked up and stared at him mockingly.

_By the way! Speaking of chaos...it seems to be what you're going through with your lover._ Ares smirked again.

The words certainly hit a nerve on Nico. He and Thalia had been through so much because of the scum-minded gods. He lost focus and his sword phased through his hand. Ares snapped his fingers and an explosion sent Nico flying backwards ten yards. He landed with a thud.

_And now your lover is dying atop of the same tree. Poor you...Forced to endure so much pain and suffering just for loving someone. I wonder who would be the cause of that...?_ Ares said sarcastically. He let out a laugh. _Oh yeah...ME! HAHAHA!_

Another surge of anger flowed through his body. "Enough games! You want to see death?! I'll show you death!"

Nico spread his hands above the ground, and thousands of skeletons crawled from under the ground. All the skeletons were armed with spears, swords, and shields. The skeletons crawled out rapidly and gathered around him.

Ares laughed. _You think you're the ONLY one with an army?_ Ares snapped his fingers and the entire battlefield was filled with orange smoke. Once the smoke cleared, it revealed an army of past war veteran's spirits: the victims of war. The spirits were orange and transparent, and armed with similar weapons. Some of them even had explosive weapons.

Nico yelled out a battle cry as he charged forward with his undead army into the battlefield. Ares also charged with his army.

Just when he thought the battlefield couldn't look any more chaotic, now undead skeletons and spirits clashed and disintegrated in an all-out war. They toppled down several demigods and monsters as they attacked each other. Skeletons were being thrown around into the air along with spirits.

Nico slashed at Ares, feeling even faster than before. He and Ares were almost evenly matched, as they both parried each others moves with inhuman agility. A skeleton threw itself at Ares only to be smashed to pieces, distracting him. He slashed Ares once again across his chest plate. Then one of Ares' soldiers threw itself at Nico, only to be sliced to pieces as well, distracting him. Ares was able to comeback with a strike as well.

Several of their undead soldiers intercepted the fight, distracting both duelers and leaving them open each time. It happened several times as they parried each others moves with superhuman speed. Eventually, their undead soldiers stopped intercepting the fight, and he realized why. There _were_ no more undead soldiers.

Nico lifted his sword up for one last strike, and locked weapons with Ares. They pushed with all their strength, with Nico gaining the upper hand. The anger gave him a strong adrenaline boost, rendering him stronger. He gritted his teeth, his hands white with effort.

Despite being embarrassingly overpowered, Ares was grinning with satisfaction.

_Hate was it? Was that the flaw of Children of Hades? AHAHAHA!_ Ares chided. _What a coincidence. Look what we have here._

Nico's eyes widened as he gasped. _My promise..._ He looked down at his hand which was beginning to phase through his sword. "No...Not now..." He pushed desperately, trying to break through his weapon as soon as possible, but it was too late as his sword was already on the ground.

Ares' spear ignited with fire as it broke through and slashed Nico across the chest, sending him flying backwards several feet into the arch of the hill of Thalia's tree.

Nico coughed out blood, as he struggled to move. He wanted to run, but he only managed to crawl towards the unconscious Thalia.

Ares towered Nico who lay sprawled on the ground, triumphantly. _What's wrong? Has death finally met death?_ He mocked.

_Awwww. Look at that. I guess the girl AND the boy are going to die in this love story._ He let out a sinister laugh. _How...TRAGIC._

The last word echoed in Nico's head. He promised a happy ending, so he was _going_ to fulfill it. He let ALL his hatred consume him. He didn't care about holding back his anger anymore. He just wanted this monster to die already for making it tragic in the first place.

Nico's rage exploded.

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Nico stood up and faced the god of war.

His inner rage from his years of suffering, consumed his whole body along with his best friend: the darkness.

The shadows surrounded him, creating a black aura.

_That's not possible! You're out of strength! What is this?! Why aren't you dying?!_ There was clearly fear and confusion in the god of war's voice.

Ares threw his spear desperately, allowing Nico to phase under its shadow. _Why thank you._ He thought as he faded.

Nico appeared behind Ares' own shadow. "Boo." Ares turned to smash the ground behind him, but he had already disappeared.

Nico appeared again under Ares' cape shadow. Having already retrieved his sword, he slashed him across the back twice.

Ares turned around to stomp his foot down, cracking the ground in the process, but the son of Hades had already disappeared again.

Nico repeated this technique several times, covering the god of war in cuts. Ares got slower after each he time he received a blow. Nico only got faster and faster as he brutalized the god.

Ares roared in frustration. _I'm NOT dealing with THIS again!_ He snapped his fingers and a ring of explosions surrounded him. He seemed to be hoping to guess where Nico was, by lobbing bombs everywhere.

Unfortunately for him, it didn't work as Nico appeared in the shadow of Thalia's tree. He jumped down from the top of the tree with a black aura trailing around his body, as he delivered the final blow.

Nico's sword sliced all the way through Ares' body, leaving a glowing red cut from his head to his knees. Ares couldn't say anything as he stumbled back and fell into the battlefield. His body dissolved into ashes before he hit the ground, causing an explosion so strong that it sent Nico flying backwards. It felt like an atomic bomb, cracking his lips in the process.

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After the long awaited silence, Nico stood up and caught his breath. It was done finally. No one was left to hurt him and Thalia. He crawled over to Thalia feeling weaker than he ever did in his life. He got close and leaned in to hold her in his arms.

To his horror, he looked down to see that everything on him was transparent now. He was clearly fading into the shadows permanently and it was too late to save him. He stumbled backwards breathing faster and heavier. "No...No...NO! Thalia!" He shouted.

"No...nonono..." He said in denial, his tears began to flow down his face. He sniffed in his feelings, and turned to face the unconscious Thalia.

"Well..at least _you_ will have a happy ending. If you can hear me one more time... I love you, Thalia Grace." He leaned his head in close to Thalia, giving at least one last kiss before ceasing to exist.

With those last words, Nico's essence disappeared.

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**Thalia Grace (Aftermath of Camp Half-Blood)**

Thalia knew it was clearly the end for her. She was devastated at the thought that she would never see Nico again. She was happy that at least _he_ got to live on. Well, she presumed he was okay, as she had pushed herself above her limit to get them to camp. She felt something warm spark at her face. And then she heard the lovely voice she grew to love. _I love you._ He said. She tried her best to get up from her sleep paralysis but it took her at least a few minutes to finally snap her eyes open.

She breathed around heavily. "Nico!"

Thalia looked up to a painful sight. Nico's sword was impaled on the grass, with a skull ring around its hilt. _No_. _It can't be. He's not dead._ She thought.

She wanted to deny the truth but it was clear what happened. He faded into the shadow realm, and it was too late. He sacrificed himself to protect her.

Thalia felt her eyes filling with tears. "You...you shouldn't have done it Nico! This wasn't supposed to happen! I was already dying!" She sobbed into her hands: the only movable parts of her body.  
"I wanted _you_ to live for _me._ Not the other way around..." she muttered. She felt empty, as she was clearly going to meet her inevitable demise. She sat there feeling devastated for a few moments, until she felt the poison burning her insides. "I hope I'll see you again. You'll always be with me. Even in another life."

"I just...If YOU can hear ME..." She muttered. "I love you Nico Di Angelo."

All she felt after her last words was the searing pain of the poison. She knew her body was hurting but _she_ herself wasn't. The last thing she felt was the burning deathly kiss that was left on her lips.

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**Leo Valdez (Camp Half-Blood Rebuilt)**

_The gods are crazy._ Was the only thing he could react with after hearing about the tragedies of the incident.

Leo didn't know what to say or do for Jason, as he had just lost his sister, and one of his closest friends. He really hated how awkward he was. He just wished humans were like machines. They were always easier than humans.

Leo felt guilty about the the loss of deathboy and Jason's hot sister. He had always made fun of Nico, and he had flirted with Thalia. He was horrible to them, but he knew better now than to blame himself thanks to Calypso. Everyone was horrible to them as well. If everyone else was horrible to them, from what he'd heard from Hephaestus, he couldn't imagine how horrible _the gods_ could be to them.

Still he couldn't help but feel a little guilty that he had most likely cause their deaths. It made sense now: Nico and Thalia were the price for the fortune cookie. Gods, he hated cookies so much.

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Later that night Hades performed the burial rights for Camp Half-Blood. Normally, that would've been Nico Di Angelo's job, which made Leo feel like something was missing. He was certainly a hero during their quest together, and he had an impact on everyone, but he didn't seem to think so.

Like the first time he saw a burial right, Thalia Grace was there to comfort Jason while they all mourned, but that too was also missing. She had brought a comfort to Jason that he as a friend couldn't do, which made him feel even worse. Even though he didn't know Nico or Thalia very well, he was certainly going to miss having them around.

Everyone during the burial rights was quiet. Not a word from Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, Artemis, Apollo (wasn't he imprisoned or something?), nor any words from the loud mouth Aphrodite. Pretty much every god in Olympus was there, mourning their lost children. Nico's sword and ring were laid right next to Thalia who was reformed back into the tree again, her eyes closed.

Personally, Leo thought they were actually just mourning their self-esteem that was lost when they realized they were fighting over nothing.

Leo honestly thought it was horrible about what the gods had done. They had put the couple through cruel trials, all because they couldn't get over their own insecurities and rivalry.

Annabeth cried on Percy's shoulder, mourning the loss of her best friend

Jason hugged Piper really tight, trying to hide his tears. Leo would normally tease him about crying and saying he wasn't the touchy feely type. This however, was NOT funny. He'd lost his older sister. He came back home a hero of the prophecy only to lose his friend and sister: Leo couldn't imagine how he felt.

Hazel mourned the loss of her brother who had saved her and gave her another life. All Frank could do was put his arm around her shoulder as she silently sobbed. He rubbed her back in a consoling way.

Calypso came behind him, and grabbed his hand. "Let's just hope they find true love as well, maybe in another time. I certainly did." She whispered to him, causing him to blush.

One by one the gods came up and said something inspirational, and boring. He was rude for even thinking that, but he honestly didn't care what gods had to say anymore. He didn't trust them. He built the Argo 2, he sailed the heroes across the world saving them multiple times, he defeated Gaea, and finally came back home happy with a hot girlfriend, only to be welcomed by a fight with a Kraken. And then, this loss ruined his joy.

It was soon the demigods' turns to say more inspirational stuff, he didn't listen to. The time went by fast, and one after another, they were already at Calypso who was second to last. Heck even some fish guys named, "Bythros" and "Aphros" or something went before.

"Even though I didn't know them, I admire them, as they had the courage to face love despite their circumstances. They weren't afraid and they loved each other regardless. Something we should all learn to accept. So I hope they find love somewhere." She winked at Leo.

Last person to go up, was Leo himself. He walked up to the stand and stood there awkwardly at first, struggling to remember what he wanted to say. Then he remembered what Calypso said about "acceptance," and his inspiration when haywire like chiponko balls. He breathed in and began to speak.

"People change, and memories don't. I understand that, which is what led to this tragedy: the hatred from our... godly mommies and daddies. Their memories of past rivalry, led to their hatred being laid upon the kids. But our hatred, our feelings, they all have a cost. And It's not right that they should be a part of this hate cost just because they loved each other. Everyone should be able to love whoever they want without being conflicted. If no one can accept that, then what are we, as humans? So I say let this be a lesson that tells us, to let go of our hate, let go of our bitterness, cause it spreads like a wildfire, and destroys everything, especially love..." He winked at Calypso. "And we all know wildfire is hot...like me." Leo concluded awkwardly. It honestly threw off the mood of his speech...which is what he intended.

Everyone clapped and the gods seemed to be giving him looks of approval. He and Calypso leaned in for a kiss as Hades did his underworldy thing for the burial rights.

At the end of the night Hades and Zeus agreed to build statues in their children's honor.

Zeus built a statue of Nico in the Zeus cabin. Hades built a statue of Thalia in the Hades cabin.

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Leo woke up one morning and thought to himself: Does love really last forever?

He didn't know what the answer was, but all he knew was that every day at sunrise, he would see a transparent, and almost invisible figure sitting next to Thalia's tree for hours. The figure wore what looked to be an Aviator's jacket and black clothes. The figure had medium-length messy hair, and that was all he could make of the details.

Does love really last forever? He probably already had his answer right there...

*THE END*

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**Credits Song:** **Anadel- Vers Le Sud**

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	28. Arc 3: Ending 2

**Author's Note:** **Here's some battle music suggestions for you: Halo 4-Didact Theme (Revival), Or Attack on Titan Fight theme, or Attack on Titan: Eren's Berserk Theme**

**(((THIS IS THE HAPPY ENDING( If you like sad tragic endings go to chapter 27) )))**

**Although obviously, it's best to find music that you feel is right. These are JUST suggestions if you don't know any...anyway... here we go...**

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**Nico Di Angelo (Camp Half-Blood {deteriorating})**

Nico Di Angelo was given a choice of choosing between two sides. He had to choose either Percy; the blind love that was never meant to be, or Thalia; the love that was destined for Tragedy...he chose tragedy... and he couldn't be any happier with his choice.

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Nico stood there face to face with the God of War; their weapons locked together. From the top of their hill, they could see the battle of demigods, monsters, and gods raging onward. He and Ares stood at the highest point in Camp Half-Blood; Thalia's tree.

Nico struggled with his strength sapping as the god of war began to gain the upper hand. He pushed with all his might, but there was no way he would match up to the physical strength of a god.

"What do you say we finish this duel how it was meant to end...?" Nico started. "To the death."

Nico ducked under Ares' weapon and tackled him down the smoldering hill of Thalia's tree, sending them both toppling into the middle of the chaos.

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Ares was lost in the crowd of monsters and demigods, but he knew he was somewhere nearby as he heard a lot of screaming, which most likely came from people cowering at the god of war.

Nico slashed down two more monsters as if they were nothing. They kept coming and coming, but still, no sign of Ares. "Come on..." he whispered to himself. "Where are you?"

Suddenly demigods and monsters alike started shifting in the fighting mob, and out came the god of war. Even in the midst of battle, everyone backs away at his sight.

"It won't be so easy this time Death boy. I'm on my own territory now...the battlefield of war!" Ares smiled at him sinisterly. "I CONTROL EVERYTHING!"

Nico began to charge just as two catapults fired. They were intended to hit the Kraken, but Ares seemed to be able to manipulate it. The ballistic boulders from the catapult suddenly changed course and flew towards Nico, throwing him off guard.

Nico quickly used his geokinesis to stop the flying boulders, just barely being able to push them a few inches the opposite direction. It took lots of physical strength.

He lifted his head up and saw dozens of catapults aline at the top of half-blood hill. Ares raised his hand in the air and the catapults suddenly started moving, aiming at him. The demigods that were manning the catapults tried to stop it from moving, but it wouldn't budge. One of them yelled "Hey, who's doing that?" as Ares positioned the weapons to aim at Nico.

He gestured his hand forward and a hail of flaming boulders rained down Nico's vicinity. He had no choice but to encase himself in a large rock made of obsidian.

As one of the flaming boulders hit the stone casing, shattering it, Nico flew and fell on his back. Gas and dust lingered in the air as he blinked the stars out of his eyes.

Nico who was just beginning to stand back up, was welcomed to the sight of an armored maniac falling from the sky with his shield and spear drawn to impale him.

As Ares closed in on the ground, Nico rolled out the way. His spear thrust into the floor, cracking the ground with such impact, it sent Nico flying back several feet.

Ares was so fast that he was able to stand up immediately, and leap towards Nico again with his spear raised. He shook the stars out of his eyes, as he looked up.

"Oh stix!" Nico yelped as he rolled out of the way. Ares ended up face-planting.

"OWWWWWWW!" He yelled, grabbing his bleeding nose through his pitch-black helmet. He stood back up, stumbling around dizzy.

Nico took the opportunity to attempt a strike at him. He raised his sword and charged him, only to be swatted away like a fly, by Ares' spear. He flew through several monsters and armory stands.

He shook his daze off and wiped dirt off of himself. The monsters around him didn't seem to be focusing on him, and just continued to roam around attacking other demigods. He decided it was best to just hide among the chaos.

Ares trudged around warily in the middle of the battlefield. Every being around him, inched away as he walked.

_Come on DEATHBOY! Fight me! Let me show you what TRUE DEATH is!_ Ares' voice boomed all around the battlefield. _I know you're angry...come on. Don't you want to kill me? Look what I've made you go through._

Nico remained silent, trying to keep a low profile, behind the crowd of fighting.

Ares stabbed another monster, and kicked its essence away. Come on! Show yourself! Show me what death is! He snapped his fingers and a ring of explosives set off, toppling over multiple columns into the battlefield. Several monsters and demigods were pinned under the debris. Sadly, he couldn't do anything to help.

Ares certainly did have an effect on people's attitude in war. Nico began to feel the hatred and anger growing stronger as he heard the screams of demigods dying. _No..you promised_. He refrained from exploding, and calmly drew his sword.

_And here we are..._

Nico sprinted from out of the crowd, and engaged Ares in a sword vs spear fight. Ares spun his spear with vicious strikes in between. It was like fighting a moving weed whacker. All of his moves were dangerously fast. Maybe he was even faster than back at the Colosseum, due to him being in his own territory.

Nico was barely able to parry his moves. Ares lifted his spear again, and it ignited with flames. He had no choice but to attempt to block the next strike. Even if he dodged he would still be caught by the flames, so he lifted his sword up and braced for impact as Ares spear clashed with his sword.

He successfully blocked the spear, locking weapons with the god of war. Stuck in the weapon lock, Ares stunned Nico by bashing his shield.

Nico was then kicked back, flying several feet into the slant of half-blood hill, nearly having fractured his ribs. He coughed out blood, stumbling as he tried to stand back up.

_Feeling angry yet? Do you feel that surge of blood lust? Go on, follow it! It makes you stronger._ Ares chided.

Ares began to spin his spear like a firey windmill: his favorite move. He marched forward as the ground was being sliced under his spinning spear.

Nico tried to regain his balance only to keep stumbling and falling each time. Ares' spear caused such a strong tremor as he get closer, that Nico was thrown off his feet again and again, as he attempted to back away. He laughed cruelly as he marched forward.

Nico was really beginning to feel irritated. He didn't like being thrown around like he'd been by Favonious, and he certainly didn't like seeing a bad memory twice. A small portion of anger crawled inside him, triggering an adrenaline rush. He suddenly felt more violent.

Nico charged at Ares, launching chunks of stones at Ares as he sprinted forward. The stones were easily blocked by the spinning spear, but they certainly had some kind of effect. He began to slow down as the spinning windmill clogged each stone.

Nico watched everything in slow motion as he launched one more rock to slow down the spear, locked his sword, and was able to successfully block the spear all in one swift motion.

_Yes! AHAHAHA! FIGHT ME FIGHT ME FIGHT ME!_ Ares laughed maniacally as Nico began to parry and block each of the strikes more efficiently. Ares lifted his spear to stab him, but he easily dodged the weapon, by leaning backwards as it skinned his forehead. He sliced upwards with his sword, slashing his chest, and disarming his shield in the process.

Ares stumbled back as he grabbed his bleeding wrist. "Rrrrrr." He grumbled.

Nico marched forward, and slashed an intercepting monster without even looking. Ares looked up and smirked.

_Yes! Get angry! Join in the chaos!_

Ares spun his spear in a three-sixty motion around his body, before slashing at Nico again. He easily slashed it aside, and kicked Ares back. He looked up and stared at him mockingly.

_By the way! Speaking of chaos...it seems to be what you're going through with your lover._ Ares smirked again.

The words certainly hit a nerve on Nico. He and Thalia had been through so much because of the scum-minded gods. He lost focus and his sword phased through his hand. Ares snapped his fingers and an explosion sent Nico flying backwards ten yards. He landed with a thud.

_And now your lover is dying atop of the same tree. Poor you...Forced to endure so much pain and suffering just for loving someone. I wonder who would be the cause of that...?_ Ares said sarcastically. _He let out a laugh. Oh yeah...ME! HAHAHA!_

Another surge of anger flowed through his body. "Enough games! You want to see death?! I'll show you death!"

Nico spread his hands above the ground, and thousands of skeletons crawled from under the ground. All the skeletons were armed with spears, swords, and shields. The skeletons crawled out rapidly and gathered around him.

Ares laughed. _You think you're the ONLY one with an army?_ Ares snapped his fingers and the entire battlefield was filled with orange smoke. Once the smoke cleared, it revealed an army of past war veteran's spirits: the victims of war. The spirits were orange and transparent, and armed with similar weapons. Some of them even had explosive weapons.

Nico yelled out a battle cry as he charged forward with his undead army into the battlefield. Ares also charged with his army.

Just when he thought the battlefield couldn't look any more chaotic, now undead skeletons and spirits clashed and disintegrated in an all-out war. They toppled down several demigods and monsters as they attacked each other. Skeletons were being thrown around into the air along with spirits.

Nico slashed at Ares, feeling even faster than before. He and Ares were almost evenly matched, as they both parried each others moves with inhuman agility. A skeleton threw itself at Ares only to be smashed to pieces, distracting him. He slashed Ares once again across his chest plate. Then one of Ares' soldiers threw itself at Nico, only to be sliced to pieces as well, distracting him. Ares was able to comeback with a strike as well.

Several of their undead soldiers intercepted the fight, distracting both duelers and leaving them open each time. It happened several times as they parried each others moves with superhuman speed. Eventually, their undead soldiers stopped intercepting the fight, and he realized why. There were no more undead soldiers.

Nico lifted his sword up for one last strike, and locked weapons with Ares. They pushed with all their strength, with Nico gaining the upper hand. The anger gave him a strong adrenaline boost, rendering him stronger. He gritted his teeth, his hands white with effort.

Despite being embarrassingly overpowered, Ares was grinning with satisfaction.

_Hate was it? Was that the flaw of Children of Hades?_ AHAHAHA! Ares chided. _What a coincidence. Look what we have here._

Nico's eyes widened as he gasped. _My promise..._ He looked down at his hand which was beginning to phase through his sword. "No...Not now..." He pushed desperately, trying to break through his weapon as soon as possible, but it was too late as his sword was already on the ground.

Ares' spear ignited with fire as it broke through and slashed Nico across the chest, sending him flying backwards several feet into the arch of the hill of Thalia's tree.

Nico coughed out blood, as he struggled to move. He wanted to run, but he only managed to crawl towards the unconscious Thalia.

Ares towered Nico who lay sprawled on the ground, triumphantly. _What's wrong? Has death finally met death?_ He mocked.

_Awwww. Look at that. I guess the girl AND the boy are going to die in this love story._ He let out a sinister laugh. _How...TRAGIC._

The last word echoed in Nico's head. He promised a happy ending, so he was _going_ to fulfill it. The word 'tragic' sparked a range of hate inside of his body. His vision became filled with rage, and all he could see was red. Blood roared in his ears as he felt the death buzz in his head. He knew it would kill him if he let his hatred get to him, but he didn't care. He wanted this... _monster_ to never hurt anyone he loved again.

A black aura surrounded his body as he felt tension building inside of him. He stood up and faced the god of war, his eyes filled with blood lust.

_Yes! That's right! Stand up! Let your hate flow through you!_ Ares said, sinisterly.

Nico felt the same anger he felt during his travel in Barrachina. He seemed to lose control of his body as he lifted his sword up, ready to kill anything in his path. He let his inner grudges out and with that, he charged at the god of war with inhuman speed.

Everything turned black again.

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Nico expected another nightmare of Tartarus or something that has to do with losing Bianca. To his relief, the dream was nothing like that. No, nothing like that at all. All he saw was a calm bright blue sky, with Camp Half-Blood rebuilt looking like it had before. The wind flew at his face, and it felt good. The camp was empty and all the plants were fresh and green. Everything was beautiful.

He was still on the same spot that he was when he charged at Ares; the hill of Thalia's tree. Only, everything was peaceful, no war, no gods, no chaos. It was as if the battle had never happened. He looked around him, wondering what happened to Ares, the war, the gods, and everything else.

Nico turned around to see a boy wearing, an aviator jacket, black skull t shirt and jeans, and a chained belt, sitting down leaned against Thalia's tree. It was himself. His hair was messy as usual.

Sitting right next to the boy was a girl wearing a leather jacket, a black Greenday t shirt, studded belt, bracelet, and black jeans. Her Hair was spiky and black. It was Thalia herself.

Nico looked closer and saw a sight he would never believe he would EVER see. He and Thalia were calm, and for once... _smiling._ They were asleep on each others shoulders, peacefully.

The scene made him want to cry of joy, but he knew it wasn't real. He didn't think he'd ever have a happy ending like this.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" came a lovely voice behind him. He turned around and his stomach filled with skeletal butterflies as he met her electric-blue eyes.

"Thalia!" his voice echoed throughout the distance. Thalia was smiling at him looking alive and well. She was clean and her cuts were gone. He pulled the dream form of Thalia in his arms.

The scene around them turned back to a pitch-black surrounding. Thalia's smile faded away and her skin turned pale, with her eyes being sunken, and her clothes were tattered with cuts again. He looked down to see himself, becoming just as damaged as her. His cuts were back and he felt weaker.

"Thalia, where are we? What happened to me and Ares fighting?" He asked, shocked.

"That scene you just saw," she started, with longing in her voice. "That would've been our 'happy ending'. But it's gone now. It would've happened, but it's gone now." Her voice sounded sadder and more heartbroken than usual.

"No, it's not. I told you I would make it happen." he stated angrily.

"It's okay. I understand, you've been through so much, and you're angry." She didn't seem to be listening to him.

"Thalia. Did you hear me? I promised you I would give us a happy ending. No matter what."

"No, you won't. And it's okay, I understand your hatred, I can't expect you to let it go." her voice was like broken glass.

"What? Let go of what?" He asked reluctantly.

"I already told you. And I made you promise something that was impossible. I can't make you let go of your grudges, so I guess I'll just see you in the afterlife, if it exists." she let loose a pained sob. "It's okay...really... it is. We won't have a happy ending now, but at least we'll have an afterlife."

Nico's eyes widened with regret. He realized what he was doing now, he had let his grudges control him, and he was going to fade, even if he won the battle. He looked to his left to see a faint image of himself still battling Ares. The god of war was taunting the delirious Nico into getting angrier.

"No...I-I" He stuttered with shock.

"Nico...it's okay...This is how it was meant to be...you and I were meant to die. We were supposed to die, so that the gods would let go of their rivalry. It's already too late to bring back the real life you." she smiled with the same pained look in here eyes, that broke his heart every time. "Just let it happen. It's our destiny. Besides, it's better for the world this way if the gods stop hating each other."

"No...forget the world! I promised you!" He shouted in denial.

"Nico...don't. Just don't. You'll only make yourself suffer more if you try to wake up. Just let our destinies happen, it's too late." she replied.

"NO! Don't say that! It's never too late! We can still make it!"

"Nico! Sweet bones...don't you get it? If we don't die, then the gods will never learn. It's our _destiny._ " she said sadly.

"I make my _own_ destiny." he stated.

"It's too late-"

"-No! I promised you a happy ending! I promised _you_ I would let go of grudges! I promised _Bianca_ I'd let go of my grudges!" He yelled. "And I'm KEEPING those promises! So don't ever say it's too late to come back!" He turned around to enter exit the abyss and back into reality.

Thalia gripped his arm tight as if he might disappear if she didn't. "Nico please! I can't let you suffer again!"

"I don't care what you say! I'll suffer for you even if I have to die trying!" He pushed Thalia away gently and for once she didn't try to stop him.

"Okay...Okay...I trust you." she sighed with sadness and doubt in her voice. "Just...don't make me regret it. So live. Live for me."

"Hey...you said yourself from the start. We live for each other. Everyone should live for everyone, and that's how it _should_ be with the gods, and everyone at camp. Bianca taught me that...And I'll go to Tartarus again, if I don't pass it on. And I'll start, by giving _us_ a happy ending." Thalia responded with awe in her expression.

With that Nico turned around and trudged through the pitch-black surrounding. It seemed to be getting brighter as he pushed through the darkness. He could feel the physical pains of reality coming back to him as he pushed himself back to consciousness. He struggled and screamed in pain as he reached the last barrier of his dream. It was a clear barrier that looked like a mirror, showing what was currently going on in the real world.

"Rahhhhhhhh!" he shouted with effort as he punched the barrier, shattering the mirror as he jumped back into his physical body.

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All Nico saw was a flash of light as he returned back to reality. He was still fighting the god of war, who had his spear regarded, waiting for the next attack. He had a disgusting evil grin on his face. _Come on! Show your inner savage! Get angrier!_ Ares taunted.

Nico looked down at his skull ring and saw his shadow aura getting stronger. _Promise me Nico..._ Bianca's voice ringed in his head.

"I will..." He muttered to himself. He twisted his skull ring around his nearly essence ridden hand, draining out all his negative emotions, and dissipating the darkness.

_What's wrong son of Hades? Finally give up on fighting?_

"Yes. I give up on fighting." He started.

_Pathetic! You are pathetic!_

"Yes. I'm pathetic for giving up on fighting. I'm pathetic for giving up on hating. And you know why?" He started, throwing his sword aside. "Because I'm not like you. I don't hold grudges and pass it down for centuries. I don't crave for the world to be destroyed, just because I had a horrible life."

_What? NO! What are you doing?! Fight! Get angry! Let the violence rage on!_ Ares seemed to be getting drained as Nico calmed himself down more and more.

"And you call me pathetic? Look at you. Look at you, and all the other gods in the world. All fighting over stupid quarrels in the past..."

_Fight! Why won't you fight?! Come on! Aren't you angry that we put you both through so much!? Come on that makes you angry right? So kill more people!_ Ares sounded crazy adrenaline rushed as usual, but he could hear his pleads for violence in his voice. The god of war began to crumble and monsters around the battlefield started turning into dust.

"No use. There's no use in fighting. Fire can't kill fire. Only peace can."

_No...please...I...need...war..._ were Ares' last words before being engulfed in flames.

Nico fell to the ground from exhaustion. He felt a warm body come into contact with his, as an arm wrapped around his chest. It was Thalia...she too, didn't give up and decided to wake up. She met his eyes as the world returned to life. Around the camp, the monsters began disappearing and the world slowly returned to life as the gods calmed down. The plants all around the meadows turned green, and the sky turned blue again as if there was no war any more. Which of course there wasn't, since Ares was incapacitated. Neither of them could speak, nor had any strength to get up. He felt Thalia's lips meet his, sending a spark down his spine as he lost consciousness.

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**Thalia Grace (Camp Half-Blood {rebuilt} )**

The last thing Thalia Grace saw before going unconscious was Will Solace and a two other demigods running towards them with medical supplies. Other demigods immediately dropped their weapons and attended to the wounded as soon as the world began reforming to life. Something she thought Nico would've loved to be awake to see. People living for each other.

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A sudden change of lighting was enough to wake Thalia up from her sleep. She looked around the dim blue light of the room. Clearly, she was inside of an infirmary of camp.

"You're awake? but you weren't supposed to wake up yet." Said a soothing voice. She immediately looked up to see who it was, only to be disappointed. It was a boy with blonde hair, wearing an orange camp half-blood t shirt, and blue jeans with slippers. A bit gross and too casual for her taste in fashion.

"What...what happened?" She asked, being disappointed that it wasn't Nico.

"I assume you're talking about the battle right? By the way, my name's Will Solace." He started. "Well, Aphrodite was able to pacify our stupid godly parents with her voice, you know...having the ability to persuade and stuff. She said that she overheard the words of some kid talking about how we should 'let go of grudges or something'. She didn't say who said it though. Then Ares disappeared for some reason and suddenly everything went back to life. Confused? Welcome to my world."

"So...It's over? I'm free to go?" She asked.

Will sighed. "I suppose this is where I give you the bad news..."

"Well, spit it out."

"All the Olympian gods are having a meeting outside of this infirmary. They told us to take you guys to your parents as soon as you both woke up. _If_ you both wake up... They're apparently going to take you to their territories for punishment cause you're 'still a risk to the power situation.' "

"Great..." Thalia's eyes widened. "Wait, what do you mean _both?"_ She sat up abruptly from her bed.

"Whoa! Slow down, you don't want to move around too much, the poison in your body-"

Thalia grabbed Will Solace by the shirt. "The kid who got overheard by Aphrodite...Nico. Is..Is he okay?

"Wha...uh... no...he's in really bad critical condition, he has almost no essence," Will started nervously. "Now calm down, you don't want to destabilize the nectar in your body-hey!"

Thalia pushed him aside and managed a fast walk through the infirmary into another room, feeling the burn of the nectar inside her body. The room was dim and on a bed, lay Nico Di Angelo. His face was gaunt, and his skin was paler than usual, under his sunken eyes. She walked in just in time to see his life beat line go off completely. He had died.

"No!" Thalia screamed in anguish. Will Solace and two other infirmary workers grabbed her back.

The ringing of the heart beat line mocked her as she struggled to get free. "Let go! Let me go! He can still make it!"

"Don't touch him!" Will shouted, trying to hold her back. "If you even go near him, the darkness in his body will just consume _your life_ too!"

"Nico! Listen to me...Please, Don't leave me!" She wailed.

"He's gone Thalia! We can't do anything now." Will tried to assure her. He seemed to really believe he was gone, as he had tears flowing down his face as well. She however, didn't believe it.

"I said...LET GO!" her body burst with electricity and immediately everyone let go, feeling the statics. She sprinted to Nico, and summoned electricity to both of her hands.

Will shook the stars out of his eyes. "Thalia Don't!" But it was too late.

Thalia lay her electric hands on Nico's chest, making his body jolt from the shock. She shocked him again and again. "Nico! Don't you dare die on me now!" she shouted. "You said you would live for me! So do it darn it!" she begged. Finally with one last shock, the lifeline on his heart beat sensor began to beep at average speed.

"Oh..." Will muttered.

Nico gasped for air as he came back to life. The color returned to his face and he began coughing. He breathed hard. "You...you knew..."

Thalia breathed with relief.

"Everyone thought I was dead...but you knew..."

Thalia gave him a smile in which he returned. "I knew you wouldn't give up. You would never stop fighting..." She pulled him in for a hug.

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"Uh...are you two done with...you know..." Will muttered.

"Oh right..." Thalia blushed. Then she turned to look at Nico. "Nico...our parents...they still don't want us together."

"Seriously?" Nico sighed with frustration.

Thalia could hear the gods outside of the infirmary arguing. There was certainly some tension building up. Before she could notice, Nico had already barged out of the door.

"Nico what are you doing?" She asked as she chased him outside along with Will.

Zeus and Hades glared at them as all three of them stood outside, in the middle of the conference meeting. The gods had already seemed to have concluded their discussion as there was silence and a bunch of glares. All the gods were there, gathered around the amphitheater.

"You two are not to see each other...ever!" Zeus boomed. Hades looked at Nico sympathetically.

"Nico...I hate to say, but even _I_ agree that shouldn't be dating this girl." Hades turned to Thalia. "I'm sorry. I'm sure you're a great girl, but I cannot allow my son to risk dating someone who will most likely cause him further tragedies."

"Aphrodite said herself! You cannot date or you will end with tragedy! So hurry up and pack your belongings! You're going back to the hunters." Artemis demanded.

"No I'm not...cause I quit!" Thalia snapped her head at Artemis.

"You're going to quit your family, all because of some disgusting... _child of Hades?_ " Zeus asked, with tension building in his voice.

"Do NOT talk about my son that way!" Hades barked.

"Everyone calm down!" Aphrodite shouted. Her voice was so powerful that even Thalia herself felt like surrendering.

Aphrodite turned to Thalia. "I'm sorry as well. But it's best you just do what they say. Maybe in another life time you'll find him. But not in this life, there's too much conflict."

"So it's settled then." Hera started. "Nico, go back to your father. Thalia, go back to the hunters."

Thalia hung her head down in defeat as Artemis grabbed her arm. Hades grabbed Nico's arm, but he pulled away.

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"What is your problem anyway?!" Nico snapped. Everyone immediately silenced.

"Nico...let it go." Will whispered.

"No. I want to know!" He demanded.

Zeus, Hades, and multiple other gods drew their weapons. "It doesn't matter. Just come. " Zeus replied coldly.

"Calm down, just let him speak." Aphrodite used her charm speak.

"What is your problem?! ALL of you..." Nico started. "Why do you care so much what other people think about who loves who? If they want to date one of your children then let them. We shouldn't care. It's not your job."

Nico rubbed his eyes, then regained his composure. "I once had a crush on Percy..." Everyone's eyes around them widened with shock, except for Thalia's and Will's. She wondered why Will wasn't so shocked.

"Yeah. That's right, you heard me. I had a crush on a _dude._ Is that _shocking_? Well it shouldn't be, you shouldn't even judge me for who I like. You shouldn't judge ANYONE..." he breathed shakily.

"And if there's anything I've learned from that memory, it's that there have always been 'two sides' to me. There have always been **Two Sides of Nico Di Angelo."**

Everyone remained speechless as he continued to talk.

"So again...I ask...What is your problem? What's wrong if I like a girl or a boy. What's wrong if I like _her,_ a daughter of Zeus. What's wrong with her liking a _son of Hades?"_

Thalia slowly formed a smile on her face at the mention of them being together. "I'd also like to admit...I've had a crush on Annabeth." The gods gasped, and a lot of muttering was exchanged.

"So...you've changed? That's good to hear then..." Zeus breathed with relief.

"You can't change that. We just love who we love. Is there _really_ anything _wrong_ with that?" His voice became more somber. "Now, I'm going to say it one more time. _We just love each other_. We both had to choose between _two sides,_ at one point, and we chose each other. If humanity can't except us for that, then what are we?"

The gods all had faces filled with regret and guilt. They began to mutter amongst each other again. Some of them even formed smiled as they talked.

"We cannot say anything more than...thank you. Thank you, for helping us realize the truth... Now, you're free to go. We must discuss amongst each other, about...uhm...what we've just learned. We need a little bit of rethinking to do in our lives." Zeus gestured the three of them out of the amphitheater and back to the infirmary.

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"Wow that was..." Thalia started.

"Relieving. Like a heavy weight of denying ourselves was lifted." Nico finished.

"It sure was...Mr... Langston Hughes." Will teased.

"Oh right, sorry I'm still on philosophy mode."

Will turned to Thalia. "Hey, if I could talk to you in private a bit about something real quick..." "Sure..."

"Excuse us Sweet bones..." Thalia and Will stepped outside of the infirmary leaving Nico out of hearing range.

"Hey so...Look, I have to admit. I'm actually a bit jealous of you." Will admitted.

"Why's that?"

"Well the whole...sky meets death thing..." He stuttered, but she got the hint. He developed a crush not on her, but on Nico.

"Oh...I see..." Thalia said. "Wait...so-"

"Yeah...just thought I should let you know. You're really lucky by the way." Will said sadly.

"Wait...so, we're cool. I mean, I didn't mean to-"

"Haha...It's fine, I just want him to be happy. So take care of him okay?" Will asked her.

"Um...Okay...I will. Thanks."

"I'll see you around, maybe we could go shopping or something. I need better clothes."

"I can tell..." Thalia joked.

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Thalia walked back to the infirmary and held Nico's hand, leading him out the door, and into the sunny environment.

"What was that about?" Nico asked.

"Nothing, just be happy."

"Um...Okay..."

With that they began their walk through the camp, holding hands. They got the occasional stares and weird looks due to being an odd couple. She didn't care, and neither did he. They liked each other unconditionally.

That is...until they bumped into another couple. A couple that neither of them wanted to see. Annabeth and Percy. Percy seemed naive as usual, only caring to about his blue muffin.

"Hey...I overheard what you said about me." Annabeth stated.

"Oh," Thalia blushed. "Well-"

"It's fine really. I mean, I kind of already knew, being wise and all. It's no surprise, considering you kept coming back to camp, ONLY to talk to me."

"That's not what I was going to say. But thanks." Thalia said nervously.

"So you were saying..."

"Well, I had a crush on you, yes Annabeth." Percy spit out his blue muffin. "But I'm over that, I found someone else..." Thalia winked.

"I'm glad. I really am. " Annabeth gave her a sideways smile.

Nico walked up and held Thalia's hand, making Percy's jaw drop. "Wait...you...huh?"

"Drop it seaweed brain, please." Annabeth sighed.

Percy pointed at Nico. "But...you said _you_ had a crush on _me._ "

Then he pointed at Thalia. "And _you_ had a crush on _her._ And now...you two...huh...w-what?" He put his hand on his forehead as if his mind was blown. He looked baffled.

"DROP IT." Annabeth demanded. She sighed and rubbed her eyes. "I need some Books and Sunsets."

"We'll uh...see you around." Nico said.

With that Nico and Thalia left the couple to process the info in their heads. She and Nico decided they would head to her tree.

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Thalia sat down by her pine tree, holding hands with Nico. He didn't seem to ever want to let go of her...which was fine with her. He sighed.

"Well, we did it. We admitted who we are."

"And we still got our happy ending." Thalia smiled at him, and he returned it.

"God...I'm so glad you quit the hunt." he mumbled.

"Me too." She replied.

"What do you think will happen now?" He asked.

"Whatever stands in our way, hunters, insane gods, discrimination for who we are...You name it. We'll be there to deal with it together.

"Yeah...together..."

The wind blew coldly, and if felt great. The sun shined brightly, and the blue sky was only partly cloudy. The green grass swayed throughout the meadows. Their eyes met, and the moment couldn't be anymore beautiful than it already was. They decided to just lay down on the top of half-blood hill, staring at the blue sky.

"It's pretty isn't it? All blue...and-"

"Kind of like you. Pretty, and blue." Nico winked.

"Want to know what color IS pretty though?" Thalia laughed.

"What?"

"Black."

"Haha...I love you."

"I love you too."

Thalia leaned her head in for the best death-kiss ever.

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*THE END*

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**Credit Song:** **Anadel Vers Le Sud.**

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I hope everyone got the LGBT message. But just in case you didn't: Love is love, just let it be.

**Author's Note:**

> Ummm....  
> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or the series, just the story I'm telling.


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